01
we cover a lot of ground
Soil & Foundation Studies Geological & Environmental Assessments Construction Materials Quality Control
Z Group Architects Colorado firm transforms iconic public buildings into modern residential homes by Jamie Farshchi
Formed in 2004 as an offshoot of Caudill Gustafson & Associates Architects, the oldest continual architectural firm in Aspen, Z Group Architects has become a proficient full service firm in its own right. With principals Seth Hmielowski and Jim Gustafson at the helm, the firm has steered away from the public projects that served as Caudill Gustafson’s bread and butter for over 50 years, into the high-end residential market. Whether iconic public buildings or private residences, Z Group Architects strives to design projects that are appropriate to the surrounding environment.
Ph. 970.945.7988 5020 County Rd 154 Glenwood Springs, CO
“One of the things about working in a sparsely populated part of the country is that any single public building often has a significant impact within its community,” Gustafson says. “We pride ourselves on being contextual architects. We design buildings that are avant-garde but still fit within the context of the community.”
The firm’s “Northstar Residence” is proof positive. The 10,750-square- foot mountain contemporary residence is at once distinctive yet fitting into the mountain locale. “The clients came to us with a vision of a contemporary home that incorporates the character of the Rocky Mountains,” Seth Hmielowski says, “They wanted it to be light-filled, modern but appropriate to the mountain setting. So the same materials were utilized both inside and out to give it a sense of cohesiveness.” The residence is set on a long, narrow building enveloped between a steep slope and a major Aspen road. The challenge was to achieve the square footage the program required on such a narrow site. “The overall concept was formed naturally by the site,” Hmielowski says, “to fit the program to the site became a challenge, the constraints of the site forced the floor plan to go very linear.” “The more significant the challenge the more interesting the solution becomes,” Gustafson adds, “the solution that evolved in this instance was quite unique and that was in response to a unique challenge.”
HPGeotech.com SUMMER 2012
photos: Jason Dewey
Known as an architecture firm that has produced some of the most contemporary residences in Aspen, Z Group Architects is firmly rooted in history.