Colorado Hideaway

Watching over the Rocky Mountains, this award-winning contemporary cabin is the first certified Passive House of the state Colorado.

Take a masterclass in low-impact living in a holiday home perfectly adapted to its environment, whether the sun shines or the snow falls. Fill your days following the footsteps of the mountain lion, hiking ridge tops or riding the rapids. Here you’ll find that less is more.

This house is a truly inspirational example of environmental design. Built on cradle-to-cradle principles, using only organic, reclaimed and recyclable materials, MARTaK – an acronym of the family’s surnames – embraces a simpler way of living.

Your hosts – architectural designer Andrew Michler and artist-educator Jennie Kiesling – are next-door to provide support; Andrew will even share his insight into low-impact builds over a few craft beers while he cooks you a barbecue.

With expansive views from its perch amid age-old Ponderosa pines, the cabin makes the most of a minimal palette – untreated plywood; cedar timber; tile; steel. Simple materials and serene interiors draw on Japanese jutaku homes and the concept of wabi-sabi – the beauty of the humble and modest. Dancing across walls, the shadows cast by swaying branches in rock-reflected light are the only decoration needed.

A flow-through, open-plan living area that plays with scale includes a dining table looking out across the valley, a small kitchen with two-ring gas hob, a double bedroom and a simple wet room with sink and toilet. An ‘outdoor room’ with snug seating invites you to pause. Up the built-in storage steps, there’s a chill-out room (or second bedroom) with hammock netting – somewhere to hang out quietly with your thoughts, or plan tomorrow’s endeavours.

Altitude 2,040m.

Build Colorado’s first Passive House. Low-tech zero-foam C2C biomimetic build using sustainable, fully recyclable or biodegradable materials and traditional techniques. Tyre-wall foundation. Site maximises solar gain and natural ventilation.

Energy MARTaK is the most energy-efficient building in Colorado – in fact it exceeds the efficacy requirements of Passive House certification by 100%. Roxul rock wool and cellulose insulation maintain a constant temperature; no heating required (small back-up hydronic system). Solar power. Non-toxic long-life NiFe batteries. Hot water heated by photovoltaics and gas boiler, Rainwater collector for water supply, plus drilled well.

Digital detox No phone reception (landline for emergency use). No TVs. WiFi on request only.

Creature comforts french press or pour-over and manual coffee grinder. Pellet BBQ and in-wall Bluetooth stereo.