RESIDENTIAL
Cottonwood Ranch

PROJECT: Residential addition and alterations

LOCATION: Velarde, New Mexico

DATE: Completed in mid-1997

COST: $371,000

SIZE: 2,500 s.f. addition, 3,000 s.f. alterations

MAJOR MATERIALS: Post tensioned foundations and slab, 2x6 framed walls, tin metal roofing, maple floors.

SYSTEMS: Central air conditioning, gas fired boiler

ENVIRONMENT: This site is one of the oldest working ranches along the upper Rio Grande Valley, north of Espanola.  The site is characterized by large cottonwood trees, extensive apple orchards and gardens.  Irrigation ditches provide copious amounts of water. Black Mesa provides a backdrop to the west and the Sangre de Christo Mountains rise to the east.

PROGRAM: The clients had recently moved to the Cottonwood Ranch and wanted to make several improvements to the existing 19th century ranch house and add a new bedroom, bath and office wing. The building Program called for the following:

• construction of a new two story master bedroom,
• bath and office/ entertainment area addition
• renovation of the existing living room
• frame and provide new tin roofing over the existing ranch house's bedroom and garage wings.

DESIGN: The Home as Sacred Space is the major design element throughout the house. This is emphasized through the use of the following design elements:

• Sacred Geometry
• Precious Materials
• Relationship with the area's traditional and sacred building forms, shapes, materials and colors
• Integration with natural geometric forms and light