Four Seasons Telluride Private Residence

The vision is to build something thoughtful and timeless. It was important to bring in an architect familiar with the mountain setting, leading the team to explore West Coast firms, which have a more innate understanding of blending indoor and outdoor living. This resulted in enlisting the Seattle-based firm Olson Kundig, known for their bold yet sensitive designs across the globe. Founder Tom Kundig, who spent years living in the mountain regions both in America and Switzerland knew immediately that the landscape was unique; it felt like the closest thing to the European Alps in the United States he had ever seen.

Instead of building one hulking structure, Olson Kundig decided to reduce the density by creating a group of three buildings with various pathways, courtyards and green spaces. By installing large floor-to-ceiling windows (one of their signature designs) the residences take advantage of Mountain Village’s famous all day sunshine and sweeping views of the surrounding 14,000-foot peaks. Not only did Olson Kundig understand the natural landscape, they intuitively know how to create a sense of place. To that end, they looked to the region’s buildings—the former mining cabins and barns—and created an understated but sleek palette of Colorado rock and wood in its most natural form.

Their ambition was to create a modernist retreat, something very different from the usual heavy Alpine-style chalets or log cabin-like resorts that populate most American ski towns.