Photography by D. A. Horchner, courtesy of Design Workshop Inc. and ASLA.
On a 3.5-acre property that since the late 19th century had served as a dumping ground for a nearby ranch in Pitkin County, Colorado, Design Workshop Inc. reimagined a landscape “to create a family retreat that would celebrate the idea of seamless indoor-outdoor living.”
A hand-carved granite fountains greets visitors in the entry courtyard.
In the courtyard, no-mow grass requires less maintenance and water than traditional turf.
“All rainwater is captured from roofs and terrace and retained on site, resulting in no net increase in runoff,” the landscape architects say.
Low retaining walls of mountain ash granite sourced from Colorado-based Gallegos Corp. border paths to connect one outdoor room to another.
The curved perimeter of the lawn integrates organically with the meadow in the distance.
Pavers are Smokey Hills Sandstone from Gallegos Corp. The spa outside the master bedroom is from Diamond Spas.
A carved granite fire pit borders a shallow dipping pool that serves as a mirror to reflect the sky.
A major challenge was that the land over time would shift and settle because of the decades of debris beneath the surface.
Cattails and sedges planted at the edge of a new 7,200-square-foot pond creates habitats for fish and local wildlife.
An allée of aspen trees in a courtyard creates an outdoor dining room aligned on axis with the house.
The setting is already beautiful, and they worked with this.
Site Plan