Betasso Overlook
Boulder, Colorado
2024
3670sf
Betasso Overlook reimagines the alpine cabin, establishing a new vernacular rooted in Rocky Mountain culture, climate, and landscape. Inspired by historic metal-clad miners’ cabins and simple A-frames, the design lets the site determine the home’s form, footprint, and interior.
The program is split into three volumes—working, living, and sleeping—linked by glass halls that form bright in-between spaces. Stepped three feet at each transition, the cabins align with the natural topography and orient toward the view.
Dark metal cladding helps the structures recede into the landscape. Inside, double fir rafters with steel flitch plates create long spans; hemlock ceilings warm the interior; and aligned structure and cabinetry establish order. Concrete floors ground the home in its granite-and-pine surroundings.
The staggered volumes capture optimal sunlight. A steep, insulated roof/wall blocks northern winds, while floor-to-ceiling glass opens the south to sweeping views of Betasso Preserve. Geothermal energy, a 9 kW photovoltaic array, and all-electric systems enable zero-carbon operation.
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