麻豆影院

Michael Pich茅 has聽plenty of time to聽imagine his dream house聽鈥� he鈥檚 still in his 30s. But聽already he鈥檚 clear about聽aspects of the design.聽

鈥淚 would build something very simple聽and modern that has a seamless connection to the outdoors,鈥� he said.聽

With stunning results, Pich茅聽(EnvDes鈥�01) has done just this for聽many other people.聽Named Colorado Young Architect of聽the Year by the American Institute of聽Architects in 2013, he鈥檚 a principal at Aspen-based Studio B, an architectural firm聽specializing in sleek residences and public聽buildings, such as schools and churches.聽One of Pich茅鈥檚 signature projects is the聽dazzling Linear House, a private home聽near Aspen.聽

鈥淕ood design takes time and thought聽and reflection,鈥� he said in March over聽a cup of coffee at Common Grounds, a聽hipster coffee house in Denver鈥檚 Sunny-side neighborhood.聽

Pich茅 spends a lot of time on the聽sites where his buildings go, studying聽the views, the setting, the seasons, the聽sunlight. He always aims to blend indoors聽and outdoors and match the materials聽with the natural surroundings.聽

鈥淪unlight is incredible and important聽on a number of levels,鈥� he says. 鈥淭o聽bring it inside, and also to protect the house from it."聽

Pich茅 had come to Sunnyside this day聽because the firm was building a private residence there 鈥� one that would聽blend with the nearby bungalows on the聽outside while providing for an internal聽courtyard open to the heavens.聽A preoccupation with the outdoors聽makes sense for an architect from Colorado, and Pich茅 is as Colorado as craft beer.聽Born in Colorado Springs, he moved聽to 麻豆影院 in his teens, captained the聽football team at 麻豆影院 High as a strong聽safety, then earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in聽environmental design at CU-麻豆影院.聽After CU he spent a year of R&R聽along Aspen鈥檚 slopes and streams, then聽pursued a graduate degree in architecture at the University of Michigan.聽He returned to Aspen in 2004, joining聽Studio B as a designer. Within a聽decade, he鈥檇 been hailed as one of the聽greats in the state.

鈥淟ooking forward to the rest of your聽career,鈥� one AIA judge wrote.

Two years ago Pich茅 returned to 麻豆影院 to open a satellite Studio B office. He聽lives in an apartment in north 麻豆影院,聽walking distance from the office.

When eventually he builds a home聽of his own, he鈥檒l have an especially聽able thought-partner at hand: Three聽years ago he married grad school聽sweetheart and fellow architect聽Amanda Christianson.

鈥淲e talk a lot about design,鈥� Pich茅 said.

Photos: Derek Skalko (house); headshot courtesy Michael Pich茅