Curtis Park Residence
- Award Year: 2021
- Award Category: Residential Design
- Award Designation: Merit Award
- Client: Sharp
- Location: Denver, CO
Gardens planted with Quaking Aspen and swaths of ornamental grass create spaces for outdoor seating and dining and provide scale for the taller volumes of the home.
Concrete walls and long bands of Blue Lyme Grass and Red Switch grass run parallel to the street along the east elevation providing an entry garden for the home which gives a welcoming context relating to the front porch feel of the neighborhood.
High-density structural foam was carved to provide lightweight structure for a sinuous landform of synthetic turf set on the rooftop deck. Delicate pin lights were installed for ambiance and the forms were purposely shaped for comfortable seating when star gazing.
The landform was carefully sculpted to provide naturally opportunities to sit and lie facing views of the skyline and sky. The soft sinuous curves visually soften the geometric lines and industrial materials of the home.
The south elevation of the site is flanked by a wall constructed of reclaimed brick from the original residences on the site which provides a backdrop for the swimming pool, lawn and rock outcropping.
A direct connection from the interior of the house into the yard was maintained and flanked by a custom steel fire pit and near the house. The geometric lines are softened by the landform and preserved vegetation.
The private south yard unifies the modernism of the home with the eclectic character of the site. Existing trees, a large sculptural boulder and rolling lawn provide a backdrop to the elevated pool, lounging and dining terraces.
The custom detailed pool was elevated to provide seating near the home with the lawn graded for direct access to the Ipe platform. The pool was framed with a cast in place concrete shell to provide a clean finish.
The historic stone sidewalk was preserved during construction and reset to keep the original feel of the neighborhood alive. The front entry wall was intentionally kept low to engage with the surrounding neighborhood.
The perimeter of the garden is flanked by clean concrete walls along the east and a reclaimed brick wall along the south. Blue Lyme Grass was planted in a small bed between the wall and sidewalk to instill soften while unifying the textures.
The south wall was constructed using a mixture of all reclaimed brick from the two original residences on the site and installed with a dry set mortar to allow the character of the brick to read as an engaging pattern.
The alley wall tells a story of the site. The original coal shoot, and door from one of the original homes was preserved. The wall had been built many times over 120 years and materials from each era of construction was carefully kept in tact and reinforced with a new concrete site wall along the alley.
The corner as seen walking from the Curtis Park neighborhood is an important moment to engage and honor the history and current culture of the neighborhood. Old and new come together with mural art along the concrete wall and the pixelated brick pattern of the east wall.
Landscape Master Plan