Three Pond Residence

Located on 15 acres south of Denver, Colorado, this contemporary residence is perched at the site’s highest point to capture the westward views of the Rocky Mountains. The home was designed to cascade down the hillside to the north through a series of interlocking “barns,” each oriented to the location’s varying viewpoints.

The design celebrates the interplay of materials with silver metal, concrete, and shou sugi ban (charred wood) siding used to create a bold, minimalist exterior. The design is a careful balance of solid materials and transparency with floor-to-ceiling windows and a glass corridor — which connects living spaces — bringing the surrounding greenery front and center for homeowners.

The design concept of interlocking shou sugi ban “barns” creates a modern twist on traditional agrarian barns of the area, while the layout inspires movement through the home’s geometric shapes with connective details and thoughtfully framed views. Each distinct area of the house offers a unique experience with its own character. At the site’s lowest point, for example, the workout area has unobstructed views of the entire lower portion of the lot, while the main bedroom features expansive Rocky Mountain vistas. Meanwhile, the great room establishes an indoor-outdoor experience by seemingly immersing you among the cottonwood trees.

The project’s layout on the site was driven by the desire to remove as few trees as possible and to limit site disturbance through structures that tier down with the natural contours of the land. The unaffected acres of the site were left as grassland that can be baled or left to grow unhindered and wetland areas on the site were left untouched.

The property boasts an array of luxurious amenities, such as a spacious sundeck, a 75-foot lap pool, an elevator, and a driveway snowmelt system. Other interesting features include a rooftop PV array and a Trombe wall, which absorbs thermal energy that is gradually dispersed into the home. Sustainability goals for the project emphasized passive heating and cooling systems and a desire to offset some of the home’s energy consumption with on-site solar.