The Glass Deckhouse. Two sides. Four floor-to-ceiling windows. Perched at the top of the property at 8,942 feet immediately adjacent to a national forest. Design discussions focused on creating a small structure that called attention to the sweeping views surrounding the peaks. Each side is just over 120 square feet, but feel expansive given the two massive window walls and two operable windows to allow the breeze in. Total glass coverage is over 100 square feet.
Two strong Ponderosa Pines mark the entrance to the Maroon Peaks with a lighted pathway leading you to the unit at top of the property. The windows south facing windows reveal our entire property and a range of mountains peaking up behind our ridgeline. Black exterior paneling and light interior pine contrast to create a comforting interior and a subdued, reflexive exterior. Visitors drive all the way to the top of the site, parking next to a 6,000 gallon water tower just for the property itself which site below Maroon Peaks.
On a nice day -- which is almost every day -- the sun's rays move through the large windows and get captured in the insulated structure resulting in no need for heat during the day even if it's freezing outside. A heated blanket and heater make up for the lack of sun in the evening. Hanging lights sit above the patio, a perfect place for a morning coffee or an evening drink on a calm day. The resulting design hopes to capture the feeling of being high in the rocky mountains through comfortable footprint – small in size but large in views. What may be our most beautiful unit, named after what may be Colorado's most beautiful twin peaks.