A Modern Office Renovation Inspired by Aspen, CO Surroundings
Published: February 4th, 2019
Why Aspen? Chances are, if you live and/or work in Aspen, your decision was influenced by the picturesque views, accessibility to world-class skiing and rugged trails, and tight-knit mountain-town community.
At Matter Planning + Design, we create place-driven environments for this very reason. Interiors that are influenced by their outdoor surroundings typically feel and flow better. Whether creating a residential home or a corporate office, we channel inspiration from the natural and native into space-planning techniques, architectural elements, and color and material palettes.
Soraya Gallego, our commercial designer, shares how the Aspen outdoors drove the design for a recent downtown office renovation for the Burrell Group, a local investment management firm.
Views Galore
Though the original office was outdated and dysfunctional, its second-floor, corner-lot placement offered sweeping views of Aspen Mountain. This defining feature became our design focus. We included large exterior windows and replaced the interior walls with glass partitions, allowing the views and natural light to reach every corner of the office.
Balancing Act
To keep the focus on mountain views and the changing seasons outside, we used a smoky, monochromatic color scheme throughout the space. For the walls, we used a medium warm gray while charcoal metal ceiling tiles deflect light pouring in from the windows. Wire-brushed white oak was chosen for the floors to add contrast with the dark ceilings.
Natural Canvas
For the office’s artwork, we framed a series of black-and-white photos by local artist Michael Campbell that showcase scenes from the surrounding mountains—Aspen groves, a trailside cairn pile, a babbling creek. The void of color once again keeps the focus on the views outside the windows.
Decked Out
We also outfitted the office’s deck with lounge furniture, so that this space can be used for fair-weather conferences, phone calls or lunch breaks.
Learn more about our process and commitment to architecture and design inspired by place here.