Sunshine Canyon House / Renée del Gaudio http : / / www . archdaily . com / 804795 / sunshine - canyon - house - renee - del - gaudio ? utm _ medium = email & utm _ source = ArchDaily % 20 List © David Lauer + 20 ArchitectsRenée del GaudioLocationBoulder , CO , United StatesArea 2760 . 0 ft 2 Project Year 2013 PhotographsDavid LauerManufacturersLoewen Products used in this ProjectSave this picture ! © David Lauer From the architect . The Sunshine Canyon house , designed for a family of four , is located on a high alpine hillside in a rocky canyon five miles above Boulder . A small cabin , surrounded by a dense forest of pine and fir trees , once occupied the site . In 2010 , the Four Mile Canyon fire ravaged this property , burning the cabin and 4 . 5 acres of 100 year - old trees to the ground . When the ash had settled , what remained were granite outcrops , steep slopes , and newly revealed expansive vistas . The barren site eerily resembled the treeless landscape of Boulder at the turn of the century . Rediscovering the architectural language of that era ― particularly the region ’ s mining and agricultural heritage ― provided the necessary design inspiration . While the home ’ s gabled roof form and rustic materials recall the area ’ s early vernacular , the design seeks to establish a language of its own ― reflective of and specific to its current context and geographic location . Save this picture ! © David Lauer Save this picture ! Floor Plan - Upper Save this picture ! © David Lauer The stepped form of the house provides a counterbalance to the site ’ s rugged features . A prominent granite outcropping establishes the datum and links the home to the landscape via a steel footbridge . The structure is inserted into the adjacent hillside allowing the home to visually cascade down the site ’ s natural contours . Two linear volumes ― one containing family living space , the other bedrooms ― are stacked and rotated to optimize solar access and to capture different views from each room . The cantilevered forms create shady , protected spaces below and sun - filled living spaces above . Save this picture ! © David Lauer Exposed beams ( with 85 % recycled content ) , rusted steel cladding , and industrial - size barn doors visually link the home to the community ’ s rural roots , but principally serve to create a fire - resistant , maintenance - free structure . Save this picture ! © David Lauer A 3 . 5 kW photo - voltaic array , combined with high efficiency electric appliances and LED lighting , produce an average monthly electric bill of $ 9 . Closed and open cell foam insulation , double and triple pane windows with low - e glass , and rolling barn door shutters keep the house cool in the summer and warm in the winter . Heating is provided with a 96 % efficiency boiler , hydronic radiant floor tubing , and a high efficiency wood burning stove . A light , open plan , with few walls allows daylight and breezes to naturally filter through all sides of the home . Save this picture ! © David Lauer © David Lauer © David Lauer © David Lauer © David Lauer © David Lauer © David Lauer © David Lauer © David Lauer © David Lauer © David Lauer © David Lauer © David Lauer © David Lauer © David Lauer © David Lauer © David Lauer © David Lauer © David Lauer Floor Plan - Lower Floor Plan - Upper