Betasso Overlook

Boulder, Colorado

2024

3670sf

Betasso Overlook challenges traditional alpine cabin norms, creating a new vernacular rooted in Rocky Mountain culture, climate, and landscape. The form shuts down cold western winds with a solid and steep roof/wall and opens up to morning sun with floor-to-ceiling glass. The form is broken up into three smaller volumes and clad entirely in dark metal to not upstage its stunning alpine setting.

The three-cabin composition sits in tune with the topography, each cabin stepping down in elevation as one moves toward the view of Betasso Nature Preserve. The cabins are distinctly programmed for working, living, and sleeping. Glass halls connect each cabin creating a sunny “space between”.

Common materials are arranged in an innovative configuration. Double fir rafters encase steel flitch plates, allowing for long spans of open space. Hemlock ceilings layer above, bringing warmth to the inside. Rafters align with cabinetry below, creating a sense of rhythm and calm. Concrete floors visually ground the house, connecting it to its rugged mountain site.

The home is 100% gas-free, operating on geothermal energy and electric appliances. A ground source heat pump provides radiant floor heating. Floor-to-ceiling casement windows generate an airy interior space with natural cross-ventilation. Continuous insulation around the exterior framed walls creates an airtight building envelope. A 9kW photovoltaic array makes the home operate net zero.

Construction | Coburn
Structural Engineering | Gebau
Landscape Design | Evoke
Cabinetry | Henry Built