Slicing across a rocky ridge where two valleys converge, Silver Cloud accommodates a young family and its many passions and pastimes. The main level offers the best views and contains all the principal spaces—kitchen, dining, living—plus a listening room for one of the owners, who collects records.
There’s also plenty of garage/hangout space for other collections, including some fast cars, motorcycles, and some utilitarian toys, such as chainsaws and a Bobcat. They aren’t all just for show—the husband enjoys cultivating the 10-acre property, clearing out the landfall for fire management and for a series of hiking trails. Supervised burns will dispose of the fallen wood, and suggested the Shou Sugi Ban charred siding for the house.
Given the rugged terrain and bounty of predatory wildlife nearby, there’s a protected courtyard at the center of the house. “It’s an opportunity for some soft curated space that also brings in natural light,” says architect Mike Piché.
The house, approached from above, plays with shadow and light across its metal roof, dark siding, reflective glazing, and concrete block. Interiors, too, will balance light and dark contrasts. A solar farm shared by the development provides clean power without sullying the site.
Silver Cloud
Boulder, Colorado
Architect/interior designer: Mike Piché, principal in charge; Drew Hubbard, Kyle Burds, Studio B Architecture + Interiors, Boulder
Builder: Merrin Construction, Boulder
Structural engineer: Parallel 40, Boulder
Project size: 4,000 square feet
Site size: 10 acres
Renderings: Studio B Architecture + Interiors