ARCHITECTURAL GUIDELINES FOR THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN PROVINCE
SITING
Locate structures at the edges of clearings.
Place buildings on the south side of dense
vegetation or mountain slopes to ensure
adequate sun for heat and light.
Use low vegetation on the north side to
anchor buildings to their sites.
Figure of building reflecting its rocky geological setting
Figure of a building on the edge of a clearing with good sun exposure
Figure of structure located at transition point of slope and vegetation
Figure of a structural form that echoes a landscape form
MASSING AND SCALE
Mountain buildings and structures can be
dwarfed by the grandeur of the soaring forests
and rugged geological formations that surround
them. Mountain buildings set within overscaled
landscapes often include overscaled building
elements, such as oversized doors and windows,
heavy timber structures, and boulders incorporated
into the building base. Such elements help humans
relate to the overpowering scale of the landscape.
Use simple, compact forms.
Break up larger buildings with similarly
shaped smaller masses.
Repeat simple forms.
Use large-scale building materials
(such as boulders at the base) to
match the scale of the landscape.
Figure of building entrance that demonstrates use of large-scale materials
Figures of good examples of building forms:
· Simple building form
· Repetition of simple forms that are attached
· More complex forms in the lower altitude that simplify with the higher altitude
OCKY
ROOFS
Roofs should convey a strong sense of protection.
They typically dominate the architectural
composition.
Echo topography with the roofline.
Increase pitch as the site steepens or as
the forest becomes more vertical.
Use alpine roofs with flatter pitch to avoid
snowshed problems.
Avoid complex multiple roof forms such as
those that combine shed and gable dormers.
These create valleys that trap moisture
and cause maintenance problems.
Provide broad overhangs at sites enclosed
by landforms or vegetation.
Provide modest overhangs at exposed,
windy sites.
Figure of an inappropriate complex roof.
Figure of building with simple dormer elements.
Figure of roof pitches varying with the verticality of landscape and the setting:
Broad valleys with a pitch of 4:12 to 9:12
Foothills with a roof pitch of 6:12 to 10:12
High mountains with a roof pitch 8:12 to 12:12
Alpine with a flatter roof pitch
BASE
The base functions as the transition from the
landform to the mid-wall, creating a sense
that the structure is growing out of the site.
Anchor the building into the site with a
strong base.
Use a uniform base on moderate slopes to
provide a platform for the building.
Step the base on steep slopes or for large
buildings to match the forms and volumes
of the building.
Figures of buildings with a type of base to avoid:
cut and fill, and
structural platform
· A stepping base on steep slope
· Base can grow out of the stone outcroppings
· A weathering base in snow with slight batter to stone and larger stones at the bottom
MOUNTAIN
WALLS
Walls can appear to be thick and substantial,
with heavy corners. Emphasize corners through:
Using larger materials.
Making them solidavoid placing windows
and other openings in the corners.
Figure of a building suggesting the wall area be less dominant than the roof and base.
Figure of a building with appropriate walls with strong corners.
WINDOWS AND OPENINGS
Concentrate windows toward the center of
wall planes to emphasize the mass of corners.
Express windows as punched openings
within solid, massive walls.
Recess windows into the wall face to
emphasize building mass and to protect
windows from weather.
Extend and slope window sills to shed water.
Build a large porch to serve as an outdoor
extension of the building.
Construct a vestibule or airlock for comfort
and energy efficiency.
Figure of windows and openings to avoid:
Figures of appropriate windows and openings:
· Large windows
· Porch as an outdoor room
· Recessed windows
· Clusters of effective vertical windows
· Sloping sill with drip
STRUCTURE
In buildings designed for public use, express
the structure by exposing wood beams,
trusses, brackets, or framing.
Handle cosmetic expressions of structure
such as nonstructural log beamswith care.
Figure of a building with a well-defined main entry expressed with timber frame elements.
MATERIALS
Use stone, wood, heavy timber, and other
natural materials when they are available
and practical to use.
Substitute manufactured materials, such
as synthetic stone, if they can achieve the
appearance of natural materials. The key is
to make the scale, color, and texture of
materials correspond to the setting.
Consider costs and availability in remote
locations.
Roof Materials
Design to achieve the look of cedar shake
shingles using such substitutes
as heavy-textured asphalt shake
shingles.
Use metal if sensitively designed.
Figure of a building with appropriate characteristics:
Structure exposed
Stone and timbers openly expressed
ROCKY
COLOR
Analyze the local landscape for indigenous
colors and materials.
Use color schemes that are inspired by rock
outcrops, leaves or needles, tree trunks and
bark, and colors found on the forest floor.
Dominate the palette with earth tones.
Integrate colors with natural materials
where possible.
Use accent colors drawn from accents of the
setting: the green or orange-rust of lichen,
the red-brown of red-twig dogwood, the deep
burgundy of willow stands, and the ivory of
aspen bark.
Figure of the base of a tree suggesting use of natural colors:
Warm grays of bark
Light browns
Rusty brown of needles
Earthy rose of rocks
Pale greens of lichens
Deep forest greens of trees
Golden brown of pinecones
Yellows & violets of wildflowers used as accents