Home Builder Digest, Best Residential Architecture Firms in Aspen, CO

Z-Group Architects is thrilled to be listed in the Home Builder Digest “13 Best Residential Architects in Aspen, Colorado“! Follow the link or read our feature below. → Home Builder Digest feature

The 13 Best Residential Architects in Aspen, Colorado

Best known for its picturesque mountains and luxurious lodges, Aspen takes great pride in being one of the best places to live in Colorado, and, for that matter, the United States. The town is a natural wonderland that offers its residents a great mix of urban excitement and suburban security.

Most homeowners here own their own homes, and a large portion of its population is made up of young professionals. Given its trendy ski resorts, homes here are usually rendered in similar themes—luxurious chalets and beautiful mountain homes. Our editorial team decided to showcase some of the best residential architects in the area, the minds behind these stunning homes and spaces. These firms were chosen based on their professional accolades, but also on their experience, skills, and the quality of their portfolios.

Z-Group Architects

411 East Main Street, Suite 205 Aspen, CO 81611

For over seven decades, Z-Group Architects has been consistently regarded as one of Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley’s best firms. The firm was originally founded by Samuel J. Caudill, a proud Fellow of AIA who also has been honored by the same institution for his lifetime of architectural achievement. Today, the firm is led by President James A. Gustafson, Senior Principal Seth Hmielowski, and Principals Scott McHale and Randy Henrie, who thoughtfully oversee each project with care and enthusiasm, along with their talented team of designers and project managers.

Z-Group Architects produces award-winning architectural designs from single-family residential and multi-family dwellings to mixed-used, hospitality, resort, and public facilities. The firm continues to design and build architectural projects in over 40 of Colorado’s Western Slope communities, as well as has worked internationally in Moscow and Japan. The firm’s projects are cost-effective, sustainable, durable, and beautifully executed.

Since its inception in 1952, Z-Group Architects has designed over 150 residences, over 1,500 multi-family and hospitality units, and nearly 200 education and public facilities. Z-Group Architects has been decorated with a multitude of awards, including an Energy Wise Design Award and featured in publications like Builder/Architect.

The project above is a single-family residence located in Aspen’s historic West End. As its name implies, Dulcinea suggests an idyllic sweetness as it lends itself to neighborhood, city, and community. It is a contemporary 2-story home with a full lower level. Spanning 6,245 square feet, the home sits on a small corner lot that opens to an adjacent community space. The home offers an open floor plan, 6 beds, 5.5 baths, butler kitchen, roof deck with mini bar, spa, fitness gym, and entertainment room. The architectural design showcases a soft and airy aesthetic. Its industrial contemporary look was achieved through the use of steel, limestone, stainless steel cabling, and wood throughout the interior and exterior of the home. The use of line and texture is paramount in the design. A feature that highlights both form and function is the butterfly roof. It provides efficiency in heating and cooling, as well as opens one’s line of sight to take advantage of Red Mountain views to the North and Aspen Mountain views to the South. Exquisite care is shown in the details, such as the roof soffits extension from the interior to the exterior drawing the eye outside. The home embraces nature and community with contemporary sophistication and intention.