Regional Honors
CCY is thrilled to announce that Victorian Music Box was one of six to be recognized with an Honor Award, the highest design award level from AIA Western Mountain Region, a six-state chapter comprising Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.
This Victorian Music Box is located in Aspen’s West End neighborhood, where restored turn-of-the-last-century structures stand alongside new, contemporary buildings. Our clients, classical music enthusiasts, bought an historic Victorian house that dated to the 1880s. Drawn to the property because of their affinity for historic architecture, they were also connected to this home because of the site’s close proximity to the Benedict Music Tent, a highly regarded locus of cultural activity.
While the home’s Victorian aesthetic carried big appeal, our clients wanted larger, more contemporary interior proportions, and they wanted it to have a stronger connection to the outdoors than the original 19th century architecture provided. To address these goals, we restored the original 19th century house and designed a contemporary addition to provide space for guests and a place for music recitals. Affectionately called the Music Box, this contemporary addition corresponds to the form and scale of the historic architecture that surrounds it, but in material and functionality, it is decidedly modern.
The AIA Western Mountain Region Design Awards program recognizes excellence in design, planning, and construction, as well as significant achievements by AIA WMR members and allies who share the common cause of creating an excellent built environment. The intent of the design awards program is to honor the highest standards of design in response to user requirements, site, context, climate, and environment. Each entry, regardless of size, classification, or location, is judged individually on the basis of total merit by a jury.
““We are extremely humbled by this prestigious award from the AIA Western Mountain Region, which has been incredibly supportive of our firm and work over the years. This was a wonderful project for us to work on, which hones in on many of our core principles: carefully preserving the past, creating spaces that connect powerfully to nature, and working closely with our clients to deliver exceptional work.””
Evan Barrett, (Project Architect) at CCY continues, “CCY prides itself on creating spaces that are deeply connected to the local context in which they are placed. For this home, it was essential that we carefully integrated a remarkable 19th-century dwelling into our design solution. We were able to provide an intimate dwelling and music venue that feels like a natural extension of the original Victorian structure. We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to work on this special project with our clients, and incredibly appreciative to receive this special award.”
