SUMMARY OF INFLUENCES AND RESPONSES THAT SHAPE THE CHARACTER OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT -
ECOLOGICAL INFLUENCES
• Sparse rainfall.
• Low humidity.
• Abundant and intense sunlight.
• Dramatic freeze-thaw cycles.
• Visible geology—an abundance of rock visible
on the Earth’s surface.
• Long vistas with dramatic views.
• Wide-open landscapes that provide little sense
of enclosure or sheltering from wind and sun.
• High winds.
• Thin soils.
• Less diverse vegetation compared to more
humid, rainy provinces.
• Mountainous terrain including the high peaks
that form the “spine of the Nation.”
• High elevation.
• Clear, brilliant skies.
Figure of broad mountain valleys
Figure of narrow mountain valleys
Figure of foothills
Figure of high plateaus
CULTURAL INFLUENCES
• European, Mormon, and Native American cultures.
• Mining.
• Ranching.
• Tourism, including national parks and resorts.
• Fast growing population with strong demands and expectations for all kinds of recreation.
• Strong heritage of rustic architecture and design.
• National forests and other public lands that comprise the majority of acreage.
• Strong public expectation for “wilderness
experience.”
Figure of a Native American pueblo structure
Figure of map of the Rocky Mountain Region
Figure of a rustic structure with massive stone chimneys
Figure of a ranch in a mountainous setting
Figure of a group of mining structures in a hillside landscape
Figure of a remote railroad station in a high plateau