At an elevation of 8750' and winter design temperature of -16 degrees F, the historic mountain mining town of Telluride, Colorado can be cold! Beyond Efficiency was brought on board for its cold-climate expertise and provided buiding envelope advising and detailing, mechanical engineering, and guidance in surpassing Telluride's energy efficiency requirements for the new single-family home. The project was completed in the fall of 2016. Our detailed plan review of preliminary building envelope details services identified thermal bridging issues at basement wall intersections with the slab and raised floor. Simple modifications significantly reduced heat loss and improved constructability. We also advised on the above-ground framed wall assemby, which resulted in a 2x6 wood-framed wall insulated with dense-pack cellulose, ZIP System sheathing (which doubles as the airtight weather-resistant barrier (WRB)), 2" continuous rigid mineral wool insulation, 1x4 furring, and fiber cement lap siding. The wall assembly reduces heat loss 20% compared to Telluride's minimum requirement, and the R-52 roof assembly is 35% better than code. Alpen high-solar gain fiberglass windows, which include a low-E film suspended between the two panes of glass, reduce window-related heat losses by 50% compared to code and round out the high-performance envelope package. The final mechanical system design includes heat-recovery ventilation and in-floor radiant hydronic heating provided from a 95% AFUE high-efficiency condensing gas boiler. Utility bills from the first year of occupancy demonstrate the project's highly efficient design: the household's total site energy is about 20% less than that of the average Colorado residence, an impressive feat given that Telluride is in a significantly more extreme climate zone than a majority of Colorado's population. Photo credit: Arkin Tilt Architects

This expansive residence allocates the majority of its square footage to the outdoors in order to celebrate the best of active California living. The various features of this 15,000 square foot property include a full size basketball court, an extensive herb garden, and distinct dining, bar, and lounge spaces. From the cantilevered extension of the first floor roofline to the adjacent cabana, the best elements of this home occur at the intersection of its indoor and outdoor spaces. Without a doubt, it is a residence designed to optimize well-being and embrace community.

While most people in town considered this building a "tear-down", the new homeowners wanted to revive the property with an ambitions renovation and addition project. Two major challenges needed to be overcome on this project: the first was preserving the integrity of the original 200 year old barn; the second was designing a complementary structure that would co-exist on the site without looking like a 21st century addition. In order to achieve these goals, our team studied how farm buildings evolve on a site over time. Additions are usually constructed based on need and function. With this protocol in mind, a grain silo was designed to act as our entry tower and buffer the intersection of the two buildings. The silo acts as our focal point and allowed us to construct very simple buildings to house the balance of the owner’s program. The team paid very close attention to scale, use of materials (many of which were recycled) and developed a vocabulary of modern interior detailing that would complement the original house. Specific program requirements for the project included: large entertainment spaces, gourmet kitchen with adjacent family room, a squash court, multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, master suite, and plenty of storage space. In addition, since both adults work from home and receive clients in their offices, two offices needed to be created and it was critical to separate the work areas for the more private family spaces. The new silo, with central stair, became the element that allowed these different program needs to coexist effectively.

This expansive residence allocates the majority of its square footage to the outdoors in order to celebrate the best of active California living. The various features of this 15,000 square foot property include a full size basketball court, an extensive herb garden, and distinct dining, bar, and lounge spaces. From the cantilevered extension of the first floor roofline to the adjacent cabana, the best elements of this home occur at the intersection of its indoor and outdoor spaces. Without a doubt, it is a residence designed to optimize well-being and embrace community.

This expansive residence allocates the majority of its square footage to the outdoors in order to celebrate the best of active California living. The various features of this 15,000 square foot property include a full size basketball court, an extensive herb garden, and distinct dining, bar, and lounge spaces. From the cantilevered extension of the first floor roofline to the adjacent cabana, the best elements of this home occur at the intersection of its indoor and outdoor spaces. Without a doubt, it is a residence designed to optimize well-being and embrace community.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

This expansive residence allocates the majority of its square footage to the outdoors in order to celebrate the best of active California living. The various features of this 15,000 square foot property include a full size basketball court, an extensive herb garden, and distinct dining, bar, and lounge spaces. From the cantilevered extension of the first floor roofline to the adjacent cabana, the best elements of this home occur at the intersection of its indoor and outdoor spaces. Without a doubt, it is a residence designed to optimize well-being and embrace community.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

This expansive residence allocates the majority of its square footage to the outdoors in order to celebrate the best of active California living. The various features of this 15,000 square foot property include a full size basketball court, an extensive herb garden, and distinct dining, bar, and lounge spaces. From the cantilevered extension of the first floor roofline to the adjacent cabana, the best elements of this home occur at the intersection of its indoor and outdoor spaces. Without a doubt, it is a residence designed to optimize well-being and embrace community.

This expansive residence allocates the majority of its square footage to the outdoors in order to celebrate the best of active California living. The various features of this 15,000 square foot property include a full size basketball court, an extensive herb garden, and distinct dining, bar, and lounge spaces. From the cantilevered extension of the first floor roofline to the adjacent cabana, the best elements of this home occur at the intersection of its indoor and outdoor spaces. Without a doubt, it is a residence designed to optimize well-being and embrace community.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

While most people in town considered this building a "tear-down", the new homeowners wanted to revive the property with an ambitions renovation and addition project. Two major challenges needed to be overcome on this project: the first was preserving the integrity of the original 200 year old barn; the second was designing a complementary structure that would co-exist on the site without looking like a 21st century addition. In order to achieve these goals, our team studied how farm buildings evolve on a site over time. Additions are usually constructed based on need and function. With this protocol in mind, a grain silo was designed to act as our entry tower and buffer the intersection of the two buildings. The silo acts as our focal point and allowed us to construct very simple buildings to house the balance of the owner’s program. The team paid very close attention to scale, use of materials (many of which were recycled) and developed a vocabulary of modern interior detailing that would complement the original house. Specific program requirements for the project included: large entertainment spaces, gourmet kitchen with adjacent family room, a squash court, multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, master suite, and plenty of storage space. In addition, since both adults work from home and receive clients in their offices, two offices needed to be created and it was critical to separate the work areas for the more private family spaces. The new silo, with central stair, became the element that allowed these different program needs to coexist effectively.

While most people in town considered this building a "tear-down", the new homeowners wanted to revive the property with an ambitions renovation and addition project. Two major challenges needed to be overcome on this project: the first was preserving the integrity of the original 200 year old barn; the second was designing a complementary structure that would co-exist on the site without looking like a 21st century addition. In order to achieve these goals, our team studied how farm buildings evolve on a site over time. Additions are usually constructed based on need and function. With this protocol in mind, a grain silo was designed to act as our entry tower and buffer the intersection of the two buildings. The silo acts as our focal point and allowed us to construct very simple buildings to house the balance of the owner’s program. The team paid very close attention to scale, use of materials (many of which were recycled) and developed a vocabulary of modern interior detailing that would complement the original house. Specific program requirements for the project included: large entertainment spaces, gourmet kitchen with adjacent family room, a squash court, multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, master suite, and plenty of storage space. In addition, since both adults work from home and receive clients in their offices, two offices needed to be created and it was critical to separate the work areas for the more private family spaces. The new silo, with central stair, became the element that allowed these different program needs to coexist effectively.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

While most people in town considered this building a "tear-down", the new homeowners wanted to revive the property with an ambitions renovation and addition project. Two major challenges needed to be overcome on this project: the first was preserving the integrity of the original 200 year old barn; the second was designing a complementary structure that would co-exist on the site without looking like a 21st century addition. In order to achieve these goals, our team studied how farm buildings evolve on a site over time. Additions are usually constructed based on need and function. With this protocol in mind, a grain silo was designed to act as our entry tower and buffer the intersection of the two buildings. The silo acts as our focal point and allowed us to construct very simple buildings to house the balance of the owner’s program. The team paid very close attention to scale, use of materials (many of which were recycled) and developed a vocabulary of modern interior detailing that would complement the original house. Specific program requirements for the project included: large entertainment spaces, gourmet kitchen with adjacent family room, a squash court, multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, master suite, and plenty of storage space. In addition, since both adults work from home and receive clients in their offices, two offices needed to be created and it was critical to separate the work areas for the more private family spaces. The new silo, with central stair, became the element that allowed these different program needs to coexist effectively.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

This expansive residence allocates the majority of its square footage to the outdoors in order to celebrate the best of active California living. The various features of this 15,000 square foot property include a full size basketball court, an extensive herb garden, and distinct dining, bar, and lounge spaces. From the cantilevered extension of the first floor roofline to the adjacent cabana, the best elements of this home occur at the intersection of its indoor and outdoor spaces. Without a doubt, it is a residence designed to optimize well-being and embrace community.