Little Dipper Project: Expert Architectural Design Solutions

The home is designed to exactly support our lifestyle. We love how it captures the panoramic views and will be energy independent. We can’t wait for it to be completed!

High on the flank of Bellyache Ridge, our client found a narrow, difficult site that was overlooked for years because of the difficulties it presented. The lot itself is about an acre and a half, but the building envelope is a triangle of only 5,540 sf with 25 feet of fall. The building envelope also sits 35 feet lower than the shared driveway access and soil testing showed that bedrock was only 1-4 feet below the soil. Additionally, the site is in a high wildfire hazard zone.

Never one to shy from challenges, even those as seemingly insurmountable as these, we dove in to create a solution consisting of two very simple cabin like volumes that sit above the shallow soil and work with the site contours. The volumes are clad in black ribbed metal siding and feature steel framed cantilevered decks to make the exterior non-combustible. The great room is open and features 180-degree views from the gore range in the east to Castle Peak in the west. Ample space for outdoor gear is provided for the client’s adventurous lifestyle and a generous kitchen for culinary pursuits.

Residential | New Construction | 3,100 sf | Wolcott | Awaiting Construction

Rendering of the Little Dipper home in Wolcott, Colorado: aerial view of a dark gabled house with rooftop solar panels on a snowy, wooded site

Rendering of the Little Dipper home in Wolcott, Colorado: dark-sided gabled and shed-roof forms beside the driveway

FAQ's about the Little Dipper Project

Little Dipper is a 3,100 sq. ft. new home in Wolcott, Colorado, high on Bellyache Ridge, awaiting construction. Below are answers to common questions about the project.

1. Where is the Little Dipper residence located?
On the flank of Bellyache Ridge in Wolcott, Colorado.

2. What made the site difficult?
The lot is about an acre and a half, but the building envelope is a triangle of only 5,540 sq. ft. with 25 feet of fall. It sits 35 feet below the shared driveway, bedrock is 1–4 feet below the surface, and the site is in a high wildfire hazard zone.

3. How did the design solve those constraints?
Two simple cabin-like volumes sit above the shallow soil and follow the site contours, instead of digging deep into the bedrock.

4. How is the home designed for wildfire risk?
The volumes are clad in black ribbed metal siding, and the cantilevered decks are steel-framed, so the exterior is non-combustible.

5. What are the views like?
The open great room has 180-degree views, from the Gore Range in the east to Castle Peak in the west.