Aspen Peak - Niche Media - Aspen living at its peak
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/513510
photography by DaviD o. Marlow Living Legacies aspen architects are Designing Low-maintenance, sustainabLe properties to be passeD Down through the generations. by linda hayes Charles Cunniffe understands the value of first- hand experience. When approached by clients looking to build valley homes that can not only accommodate extended families but also be passed on to future generations, he often takes them to visit his own. "You could say I walk the talk," says the amiable architect, who over the years has refashioned his Red Mountain home both to ref lect an evolving family lifestyle and to incorporate natural, sustainable elements like sunlight and water. "It helps [clients] understand a concept when they can see it for themselves." One of Aspen's most prolific and respected architects, Cunniffe has been plying his trade in the valley with his eponymous firm (970-925- 5590; cunniffe.com) since 1981. While the idea of multigenerational homes, commonly known as legacy homes, has grown in popularity all over, it's deeply rooted in the area's past. "Through the ages, pioneers here built homes as shelter that would [withstand] the elements," he says. "As they prospered and the families grew, larger homes, and eventually compounds, evolved." One with the land: To give it staying power, Poss Architects blended the Wheeler residence into its 860 acres of Old Snowmass ranchland while recalling the historical lodges and compounds of the area with throwback architecture. continued on page 160 aspenpeak-magazine.com 159 HAUTE PROPERTY