Barn leader

Residential Architect, July, 2002 by Meghan Drueding, Nigel F. Maynard

Gold course subdivisions and progressive architecture don't usually go hand-in-hand. But such conventional wisdom didn't stop Aspen, Colo., architect Harry Teague, AIA, from combining the two in a Carbondale, Colo., resort community. For this vacation home, Teague used the simple lines of a traditional Colorado hay barn as his inspiration, creating a building that connects to its site more intimately than any mini-mansion could.

The hay barns he admires, also known as "pole barns," consist of a group of vertical poles topped by a pitched roof with exposed trusses. "In our climate all you need to do is keep rain off the hay," says Teague. "So you don't need any walls." The influence of these buildings is evident in the house's front elevation, with its partially visible roof structure. Exterior materials such as hay-colored sandstone and recycled barn siding also evoke the region's rural past. The design's agricultural imagery is more than a Colorado conceit; it also relates directly to the subdivision's history as a working ranch. Those cues continue inside, right up to the exposed roof trusses on the topmost floor.

The upper level contains the home's public spaces, part of Teague's upside-down floor plan. "Putting the living areas upstairs allows them to be part of one big, wide-open room," he says. "That way, you get views in all directions. And when a group of people are in it, they have a feeling of being together in the same space, even if they're doing different activities." Decks on the east and west sides extend the living area outside; and a stair connects the eastern deck with a ground-level hot tub.

Because the Chicago-based clients often bring friends or family when they come out to golf, ski, and fish, Teague knew the house would have to sleep as many as possible. In addition to the three bedrooms he designed on the ground floor, he included a TV room with sliding doors that converts into another bedroom.

Despite a relatively modest budget (by exclusive resort standards), a design review board, and the golf course handicap, Teague's barn-inspired solution saved the day. And best of all, it suits its owners and its location to a tee.--m.d.

project: Hacker residence

architect: Harry Teague Architects, Aspen, Colo.

landscape architect: Greg Mozian & Associates, Aspen

structural engineer: KL & A of Colorado, Golden, Colo.

builder: Connors Construction, Basalt, Colo.

size: 3,600 square feet

construction cost: Withheld

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