Recently Completed, More Photos!

Thought we'd share a few more twilight photos from this One Architects' designed home in Mountain Village Colorado, built by Refined Custom Homes. 

photos © Jennifer Koskinen | Merritt Design Photo

Architecture: In the Details

Every corner and each surface to touch is an opportunity to design...

Here are some details from a recently photographed One Architects project in Mountain Village, Colorado.  From leather drawer pulls to a completely re-considered hinged front door handle, to a piece of mining history -- an impressive recycled crusher cone -- re-imagined and given new life as a stunning fire-pit... Architecture is alive in the details.

Watch for full project photos soon!

photos © Jennifer Koskinen | Merritt Design Photo

Construction Glimpses

Enjoy a few teasers of another One project in construction and nearing completion.

Super excited to share photographs of the finished project this summer!

Hand Drawn Map | L.A. by Jodie

For a fun glimpse into Jodie's creative thought process and her pen, enjoy the comparison of a progress and final sketch of this gorgeous hand drawn map of a recent trip of hers to Los Angeles, CA.

What is chosen for inclusion on any map is highly subjective, and I always enjoy pondering the choices on Jodie's beautiful and artful impressions her travels, in this case of a sprawling California city by the sea... makes me want to take a trip!

[ sketch in progress ]

[ final map ]

If you'd like to see more of Jodie's maps, visit her gallery at Hand Drawn Maps.

Designing outside the Box: Stairs

Stair design is such a uniquely fun opportunity for an architect.  A great stair can become one of the most dynamic and fun elements of layered architecture - sculptural in its own right.

Here you can see the evolution of a non-traditional stair in a One Architects home currently under construction, which, even at this early phase already contains elements of sculptural opacity, translucency, material layers, and a wonderfully creative riser detail.

For more photos of some of our favorite finished stair designs, please visit our earlier Stairs as Art post!

Evolution of a Bridge Detail

It is highly gratifying to see design come to 3 dimensional life in the construction phase of a project.

Here's a peek at a few job-site photos from a One Architects project in the Mountain Village, now nearing completion.  Working with Russ from All-Steel, these custom steel details came together beautifully with reclaimed wood on this bridge connector element, a main feature from the entrance to the property.  We are excited to share the finished project after it is photographed this spring!

Design: No Substitute for Sketching by Hand

Architecture, at its best, expresses itself from the larger scale ripples a building's design can have on the urban fabric of its neighborhood, to the smallest details to be touched, felt or noticed in a quiet moment.  A computer program and skilled draftsperson can whip up a CAD drawing and insert standard details for a garage pretty quickly.  But when a talented architect takes the time to ponder the design of details, respond to the site and think of every choice as an opportunity, that's where real architectural magic can transpire!

This single page from Jodie's sketchbook - detailing a new One Architects project - expresses a thought process which addresses multiple perspectives and scales of a single element of the home.  She takes no detail for granted and begins to bring a dream - of what in this case what looks to be a pretty amazing garage - to life on the page.