The William’s Ridge Residence is a result of a highly collaborative process with an intensely involved Owner. The Project evolved through several complete iterations over the course of the relationship. As of Fall 2010, the Project is essentially complete, sans furniture.
The William’s Ridge Residence is situated in a privately held nature preserve in the foothills of Colorado’s Front Range. The site selected by the Owner is far and away the most “rugged” of the available home sites, and includes North-facing forest, South-facing windblown ridge faces, and distinctive rock outcrops.
Semple Brown Design and the Owner worked diligently to locate the home in the exact “sweet spot” of the 39 acre site to choreograph the arrival sequence and frame specific peaks of the Continental Divide, and control and enhance solar exposure.
The House “rides the ridge”, by stretching out the Owner’s desired program out in a linear manner along the saddle of the landform. The house opens itself broadly to the views and favorable solar orientation to the South, while presenting a more solid face to the North, into the forest: with this face it frames individual landforms with special character and meaning. The “spine” of the house is oriented on what became known as “sacred rock”, and provides a clear circulation path through the home.
The Owner desired a highly modern, elegant home set within this rugged landscape, while not forgetting the tactile qualities of materials such as stucco, stone, wood and metal.