The client couple for whom the house was designed asked for an heirloom property, meeting standards of construction that ensure generations after them will enjoy it. Additionally, they wanted a well-insulated, efficient home that could harvest solar energy in colder months without compromising views of the surrounding landscape or access to it.

Burrowing into the steep right bank of the upper Rio Grande, the more constant below-grade temperatures minimize heat loss during the many cold nights reaching below zero degrees Fahrenheit.
 
Where the structure emerges from the hillside, a narrow exterior catwalk wraps the second level, expanding into a large deck at the northeast reaching toward the river as the ground falls away. From this vantage point, nestled against a ponderosa, the water can be seen moving steadily downward on its way to discovering the San Luis Valley.

project currently under construction