ground breaking in Denver
Finally, the day has come. The next phase of the Aria Denver project is beginning construction with the ground breaking ceremony happening Wednesday morning. The design of these homes is about cultivated life: community, simplified living, reduced carbon footprint, lifetime learning, inter-generational, reflective and focused on urban agriculture. We are super excited. If you are [...]
ariaDenver
Super excited that the next phase of the ariaDenver project is (finally) happening! This includes 13 town homes along 52nd Avenue (that we designed and shown here) as well as two co-housing communities. On February 21st at 6:30pm you are invited to be part of the first session to explore the Living Options at Aria. [...]
Casa Chiara project wins first place
The Casa Chiara project (which is the first phase of the ariaDenver project we have been designing) was selected by a jury of representatives of ColoradoBiz magazine, AIA Colorado, ULI Colorado and the US Green Building Council Colorado as the first place winner of the Colorado Sustainable Design Awards Residential category. This is very exciting [...]
modest materiality
This recently completed residential care building for The New Camaldoli Hermitage (the coolest monks I have ever met) in Big Sur is a great example of the use of modest eco-materials used in elegant ways. The monks of The New Camalodoli Hermitage have made a life commitment to stay at the monastery and their cells [...]
sisters of sustainability project
PROJECT INFORMATION COMPLETED PHOTOS MODULAR CONSTRUCTION NEXT PHASE: ARIA DENVER
sisters of sustainability
As an architect, one of the most rewarding things is working with a truly special client on a truly special project. I feel so fortunate and honored to be able to work with some of the most amazing people I have met in my life to co-create beautiful dwellings with them. One such example is [...]
multifamily modular
I am looking forward to visiting the Casa Chiara project (that we designed) in Denver later this week. This is the first phase of the ariaDenver project by Urban Ventures LLC. This 8-home project consists of one and two-story townhouse homes for an extremely cool group of Franciscan nuns. This is the first multifamily, modular, [...]
california townhouse homes
Michelle Kaufmann Studio is designing townhouse homes in California that have a mix of 2 and 3 stories. The homes also include a roof deck that has a garden as well as a shaded section covered by a solar panel trellis. There are private screened balconies and vegetable gardens. The homes are 2 and 3 [...]
a recent design almost completed
I have just returned from another amazing Easter weekend spent with the monks of the New Camaldoli Hermitage, for whom we have designed the new buildings to replace the older ones now at the end of their life cycle. The day started before dawn with a sacred bonfire, around which the monks sang, dressed in [...]
Aria Denver – Another day, Another 8 modules get set
It has been an exciting morning so far. First, I woke up to the Denver Post and read the article titled “Denver nuns go green and modular” and included a fabulous quote from Sister Sue Artone-Fricke “Our heritage as Franciscan sisters is that we take responsibility for the Earth and see all creation as our [...]
Aria Denver – Snow for Sisters Prefab
The Casa Chiara project is being finalized, and the Sisters are moving in. Moving day in the current Denver snow has turned out to be quite an adventure. However, these are very strong women, and piles of snow are not going to stop them from moving into their homes. This photo below was taken just [...]
AriaDenver – Co-Housing
Now that Phase 1 of the ariaDenver project (the sisters housing) is almost complete and the sisters have moved in, the Co-housing portion of the project is starting. Tomorrow there will be a presentation by Jim Leach on the benefits of co-housing and a description of living in a community with a vision of a [...]
Aria Denver – in the snow
I just saw this photo taken by AriaDenver Project Manager Kate Hilberg of the first phase of homes (Casa Chiara) recently in the snow. This almost makes me miss the winter snow. more on this project www.ariadenver.com
ariaDenver – next phase officially beginning
Last week was an exciting one. I was in Denver to see the final 8 modules get set for the first green/prefab multifamily project that I have worked on, and actually the first one that I am aware of that has been built. The project consisted of 16 modules, and the final 8 were set [...]
A very special group of monks
Seeing these photos of the modules successfully being shipped and set to the New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur, CA couldn’t make me more happy (and also extremely thankful). The monks at the Hermitage are honestly some of the most special people I have ever met and the site of their monastery is nothing short [...]
another day, another 8 modules get set
It has been an exciting morning so far. First, I woke up to the Denver Post and read the article titled “Denver nuns go green and modular” and included a fabulous quote from Sister Sue Artone-Fricke “Our heritage as Franciscan sisters is that we take responsibility for the Earth and see all creation as our [...]
whoa. miss and few weeks + miss the entire construction
Wow. I missed a few weeks of seeing Kate Hilberg’s photos on the progress of Casa Chiara, and I almost missed all the construction. This is the time when the modular construction just sings. Things move fast, and the excitement grows. Kate (Project Manager with Urban Ventures LLC on the Casa Chiara project) takes photos [...]
