Wilder on the Taylor
At CCY Architects, we believe enduring architecture enhances community, elevates life experiences and restores our connection to the natural world. Embracing a modernist approach to the influences of region and culture, we have been guided by this vision for over 30 years – connecting people, nature and community with inspired architecture.
In the case of Wilder on the Taylor, our approach has been inherently collaborative. We began the project with Jackson Shaw by sourcing the roots of Western Colorado Ranches and examining the givens and goals of the project to establish a fact base, upon which we built a strategy for design that included principles to guide the project from concept to completion.
The architecture that emerged from these rigorous investigations may best be described as “Ranch Modern” and characterized as having recognizably strong formal ties to the regional vernacular while embracing market expectations for contemporary living with open floor plans and large expanses of glass harvesting dramatic mountain views. Hence, we have erased the apparent boundaries between inside and out as Colorado’s delightful climate supports direct interaction with nature from March through October.
We feel architecture belongs to the specifics of place; therefore, the quiet and understated nature of our work at Wilder on the Taylor does not attempt to compete with the beauty of River or Meadow but rather serves as an inspired backdrop to activities on the ranch. As a result, our palette of weathered timber, rusted metals, and farmer’s rock is occasionally accented with bold colors much like wildflowers in a field of sage- the net result of which lands somewhere between the traditional and unexpected.
Like the land encompassing Wilder on the Taylor, our offices are surrounded by some of the country’s most stunning natural environments and sustainable practices have been a core value for CCY Architects and a fundamental element of our approach to design since 1978. With extensive experience, we understand the challenges of integrating sustainable design into evocative architecture.
Some sustainable strategies for Wilder on the Taylor include:
- Recycling timbers salvaged from on-site for use in new construction
- Adaptively re-using existing structures
- Incorporating locally harvested beetle-killed wood products
- Specifying tight thermal envelopes (insulation & glazing) to minimize heat loss and gain
- Orienting buildings to optimize passive solar design as a best practice
- Generating renewable energy on site with roof mounted active photovoltaic solar arrays
- Reducing energy consumption by 65% with ground source heat pump systems
While our primary focus at Wilder on the Taylor has been on architecture, we are most excited about the legacy of land preservation and conservation the development creates. It gives us great comfort knowing that our work in this remarkable corner of Colorado will be shared for generations to come as it always has been- on a working ranch.
John Cottle, AIA
