APEX
Community Wellness Center for Mountain Resort Town
Employees in Aspen, Colorado
emily d’onofrio
CONTENTS
Apex developed from my passion for the mountains and skiing. Having lived in a mountain resort town, I have witnessed the impact of the “Paradise Paradox” on year-round residents, which has become a significant problem in recent years.
Apex addresses this issue by cultivating a welcoming space for mountain resort town employees, providing the resources they need to improve their well-being, and ensuring they feel valued and cared for in their community.
higher binge drinking rates are found in western mountain areas compared to the national average. 25%
“The number of suicides in Aspen, Colorado, is 3times the country’s mean rate.”
PARADISE PARADOX
“A sense that people living in beautiful vacation destination should be happy, and therefore might feel it isn’t acceptable to not be okay or to ask for help.”
In mountain resort towns, particularly those located in the Rocky Mountains, suicide rates are significantly higher than the national average. In 2021, four of the six states with the highest suicide rates were in the Rockies, with Colorado ranking sixth.
This mental health crisis is influenced by several unique attributes of mountain resort towns, including geographic isolation, challenges in forming social connections, a transient population, limited entertainment options, significant wealth disparities, and small resident populations, all of which contribute to increased mental illness and substance abuse.
While tourists and second-home owners are drawn to these areas for their breathtaking beauty, opportunities to connect with nature, and activities like skiing, biking, fishing, and hiking, permanent residents often face substantial challenges living in such destinations year-round.
Mountain resort towns are known for their “après ski” party culture, a lifestyle that can be detrimental to mental health. This culture, which often encourages heavy drinking and substance abuse, leaves permanent residents constantly surrounded by an environment that can worsen existing mental health issues.
Recent economic issues and COVID-19 have also contributed to a significantly increased cost of living, causing immense stress with finances for those living in expensive mountain resort towns on a minimum wage job. This has led to many resort workers being forced to move out of the town they work in.
The lack of accessible and affordable mental health resources within mountain resort towns leaves residents with limited options to find the support they need to improve their wellbeing. This highlights the urgent need for more support and understanding in these communities.
Many organizations are working to tackle this issue by providing funding, support, and efforts to break the stigma surrounding mental health. However, there is still a significant need for more spaces to alleviate these problems and enhance ongoing improvements. An inpatient mental health crisis center will open in Vail, Colorado, in May 2025, emphasizing the need for more spaces that provide mountain resort town employees with proper care to ensure they feel supported and valued.
THE CHALLENGE
Creating a welcoming, accessible space to promote building community, improved well-being, and support for Aspen Mountain Resort workers through providing the proper resources needed due to the unique attributes of ski resort towns being a signifi cant factor in this mental health crisis.
THE IMPACT
Providing unrestricted access to mental health resources, making locals feel valued and cared for.
CONSIDERATIONS
• Organization and separation of the various space types to accommodate user needs to encourage a stigma-free environment.
• Keeping therapy resources in a private, safe area for comfort and a sense of anonymity.
Accessible Amenities Build Community
THESIS STATEMENT
How can a community wellness center enhance MRTE’s mental health, foster belonging, and improve quality of life despite economic and social disparities?
HISTORY OF ASPEN, COLORADO
1876
Colorado is declared the 38th state.
1879-93
Prospectors arrived and found silver ore. Aspen was one of the nation’s largest silver producers for the next 14 years.
1936-48
Rebound - a ski area was proposed and a Swiss avalanche expert ski trails and lifts.
BEFORE 1879
Ute Indians occupied the town and hunted in the Roaring Fork Valley.
1893-1936
“Quiet Years” - 1894 repeal of Sherman Silver Act slowed the boom. Most of the population were farmers and ranchers.
proposed on Hayden Peak expert was hired to map out
1945
Walter and Elizabeth Paepcke came to Aspen and invented “The Aspen Idea” - the fusion of the body, mind, and spirit, which embodies Aspen’s culture.
1988-PRESENT
Aspen has held many World Cup races, many more lifts and trails opened, and has a culture with appreciation for music and the arts.
1937
Aspen Valley Ski Club opens.
1961-86
“Boom Industry” due to new recreational and cultural attractions. The “hippie” culture began to develop.
The Aspen Idea, invented by the modern-day founders of Aspen, represents the fusion of body, mind, and spirit, embodying the essence of Aspen’s culture. Apex aims to empower mountain resort town employees to incorporate The Aspen Idea into their daily lives, enhancing their overall well-being and cultivating a deeper connection to Aspen’s rich cultural heritage.
Aspen Snowmass is the winter resort complex in Pitkin County, Colorado with four ski mountains in Aspen and Snowmass: Aspen Mountain (alt 11,212 ft), known as Ajax to the locals, Aspen Highlands (alt 12,392 ft), Snowmass (alt 12,510 ft), and Buttermilk.
SUMMER ACTIVITIES
Biking, Hiking, Golf, Rafting, Fishing, Horseback riding, Paragliding.
WINTER ACTIVITIES
Skiing, Snowshoeing, Cross-country skiing, Flyfi shing.
CULTURE & ARTS
Live music venues, historic museums, culture & arts institutions.
Known for its “après ski scene” and world-class restaurants.
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
Bauhaus - fl at roofs, geometric forms, & nature connection which dates back to 1939 in the town.
Rustic - local materials, low pitched roofs, simple form, emphasizes the mountain town feel.
Modern - open fl oor plan, innovative materiality, geometric form & line.
Victorian - intricate detail, steep roofs, charming feel.
BUILDING
111 S. Garmisch Street, Aspen, CO 81611
26,959 SF | 4 Levels
In downtown Aspen and accessible to the mountain, creating a perfect location for a wellness center for mountain resort town employees.
KEY VALUES
Community-based Approach
Advanced Racial Equity
Taking a Stand
THEIR IMPACT ON ASPEN, CO
Granted Aspen Community Foundation $50,000. Partners with local non-profi ts to provide support.
Assists in providing proper resources for treatment for depression and substance abuse.
“Improving
Mental & Behavioral Health in Mountain West Communities”
Since 2016, the Katz Amsterdam Foundation has collaborated with community-based organizations to address challenges in mental health, community vitality, civil rights, reproductive justice, and voting rights. Founders Rob Katz and Elana Amsterdam are passionate about giving back and ensuring communities receive the help they need. They typically collaborate with non-profi ts that instill programs with powerful, direct impacts on communities in need.
*Aspen Snowmass is funding the non profi t to help heavily subsidize Apex’s services due to their interest in ensuring their workers are healthy physically and mentally.
PRIMARY USER PROFILE
ADAM
Age - 46
Hometown - Aspen, CO
Current Location - Aspen, CO
Job - Ski Patroller
• Handles many intense ski accidents on the mountain, causing anxiety attacks, trauma, and depression.
• Feels weighed down by job’s mental impact.
• Coworkers don’t talk about these challenges, making him afraid to open up to others.
• Knows he needs help, but feels stuck in a cycle of pretending to be alright and bottling up feelings.
• Wishes there were more affordable options for receiving help in town.
USER JOURNEY
ARRIVE
A welcoming and comforting reception entry.
ENGAGE
Establishing a space where MRTE socialize and rebuild the communal their town that has been lost in recent
SUPPORT
MRTE are able to communal element of recent years.
Providing proper and affordable amenities to MRTE to ensure they receive the care they deserve to promote personal growth and well-being.
RENEW
Ensure users feel valued by providing amenities catered to their needs.
STRATA
Strata conveys the intricacy and duality inherent in nature and humanity. Like geological forms, humans often reveal only what is on the surface, concealing the vast unseen layers that make up an individual. This concept creates spaces that unveil layers of complexity, utilizing light, contrast, texture, and line to highlight the underlying formations within. This will create an intriguing sensory experience, inviting deeper exploration and refl ection, similar to the hidden depths of nature beyond the surface.
Uncovering the Layers that Make Us Human.
LEVEL 2 FLOOR PLAN - MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
INSPIRATION GALLERY
A space where users can feel included in their community by writing inspirational quotes on the interactive wall. Users can fl ip through the wooden cubes to fi nd inspiration and motivation from others.
RESTAURANT
MOCKTAIL LOUNGE
ZEN GARDEN
Uncovering the Layers that Make Us Human.
emily d’onofrio