The site for this 6,614-square-foot custom home has stunning views in two directions. Not wanting them to go to waste, architect Charles Cunniffe put the plan’s public spaces on the top floor. The master bedroom on the first level opens to a gracious rear loggia.

The design combines the client’s contemporary, experimental tastes with the rugged, natural materials of the region. “With the heavy weather, you want the house to feel structurally sound, yet at the same time be completely open to views and light,” Cunniffe says.

CATEGORY: Custom one-of-a-kind, 3,500 square feet to 10,000 square feet
ENTRANT/ARCHITECT/LAND PLANNER/INTERIOR DESIGNER: Charles Cunniffe Architects, Aspen, Colo.
BUILDER: John Olson Builders, Aspen
DEVELOPER: Apex Capital, Orinda, Calif.
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: Christie Jensen, Carbondale, Colo.