PROJECT SYNOPSIS
The Cabin Addition for Rich and Teresa is located in the mountain community of Nederland, Colorado (el. 8200 ft.) in the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains west of Boulder. The project proposes adding a mudroom, a master bedroom, and an outdoor deck to an existing 650 square foot log cabin. The existing cabin was constructed circa late 19th century, with various infrastructure upgrades and repairs over time.
The 98 sq. ft. Mudroom offers a new workable entry into the cabin by providing a much needed transition between the inside and outside. Further amenities include additional storage and a place for coats and all-weather gear. The new 210 sq. ft. Bedroom reorients the cabin’s principal sleeping space towards adjacent Boulder Creek, and takes advantage of existing views and morning light. Broad overhangs provide summer shade while enabling passive solar heat gain during the winter months. Finally, a new 180 sq. ft. Outdoor Deck extends the current kitchen out towards the creek while providing a calm private space for relaxation and various customary household rituals.
Proportion is a principal concern in the design and scale of the south and east facades. The south façade is proportioned according to the golden section which accommodates both the mudroom and the bedroom additions. The east façade is composed from roof angles and regulating lines which are derived from the existing cabin to assure visual harmony between the old and the new. All new exterior materials are LEED certified green which include corrugated galvalume metal and “Hardie” cement board.
While the Cabin Addition for Rich and Teresa improves the functionality of a small mountain home, it more importantly opens the cabin interior to the adjacent creek and mountain landscape beyond. The design creates a personal sense of place in which added privacy is complemented by environmental awareness—in which one’s place in the world is better understood, and life, in that sense, is that much more appreciated.
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