Arch 11 completes Rocky Mountain home atop a concrete plinth
Colorado architecture firm Arch11 has raised a single-family residence on a concrete plinth to provide unobstructed views of the Rocky Mountains (+ slideshow).
Named Lodgepole Retreat, the chalet sits 9,000 feet (2,745 metres) above sea level. The residence serves as a weekend getaway for a local family.
![Lodgepole Residence by Arch11](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/lodgepole-residence-arch11_dezeen_3408_0-852x554.jpg)
A small stone cabin previously occupied the site, but the owners wanted to replace it with a more contemporary design.
![Lodgepole Residence by Arch11](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/lodgepole-residence-arch11_dezeen_3408_2-852x531.jpg)
"What started as an intimate two-bedroom, one-bathroom cabin for a Colorado couple and their grown children grew to three bedrooms and as many bathrooms when they began to consider space for their grandchildren," said the architects.
![Lodgepole Residence by Arch11](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/lodgepole-residence-arch11_dezeen_3408_7-852x1252.jpg)
Although the home was designed in a contemporary style, the shape of the pitched roof nods to traditional chalet architecture.
"Conceptually, it was thought of as a concrete plinth, a band of glass, and a large roof that shades the glass," they added.
![Lodgepole Residence by Arch11](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/lodgepole-residence-arch11_dezeen_3408_8-852x1287.jpg)
"The living plane is elevated above the ground on a poured-in place concrete pedestal to heighten the experience of floating above the meadow," said the studio.
![Lodgepole Residence by Arch11](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/lodgepole-residence-arch11_dezeen_3408_6-852x1316.jpg)
The main room of the 2,200 square foot (670 square metres) cabin features floor-to-ceiling windows that provide expansive views of the rugged landscape.
This glazed expanse contains operable panels, which lead to an exterior terrace projecting from the main volume of the house.
![Lodgepole Residence by Arch11](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/lodgepole-residence-arch11_dezeen_3408_13-852x495.jpg)
The exterior is clad in corrugated metal sheets that have a rusted appearance. The concrete plinth that the house is built on is also expressed on the outside.
Inside, polished concrete floors complement a muted palette of white surfaces and wooden fittings. A wood-burning fireplace is included in the open-concept living space.
![Lodgepole Residence by Arch11](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/lodgepole-residence-arch11_dezeen_3408_16-852x523.jpg)
Other homes in Colorado include a chalet in the posh resort town of Aspen and a weathering steel retreat built on land that was previously ravaged by a forest fire.
Photography is by Raul Garcia.