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/ BUILDING DIALOGUE / SEPTEMBER 2016
E
xciting changes are in store
for some of Colorado’s best-
known ski areas – Snowmass,
Aspen, Winter Park, Steamboat and
Vail all have implemented or are
planning upgrades and enhance-
ments as they focus on elevating their
visitors’ experiences, catering to multi-
generational resort-goers and providing
activities that will draw both vacationers
and locals year-round. And it’s all being
done with the expectations that annual re-
sort visitors will continue to increase year-
over-year.
Winter Park and Steamboat are in the midst
of evaluating growth and upgrade opportu-
nities. Resort owner Intrawest has enlisted OZ
Architecture and Dunn & Kiley Landscape Ar-
chitecture to develop modern vision and con-
ceptual master plans for each, with the intent of
enhancing those plans developed 10 to 15 years ago.
Recommendations have been provided on how to
best position existing and future buildings, including
hotels, condominiums, amenity facilities, restaurants
and wide-ranging, multiseason outdoor activities.
AtWinter Park, improvements to the BalconyHouse
may be on the docket. The new design being proposed
will respect and protect the area’s natural resources
while addressing guests’ needs of today. Additionally,
the redevelopment of the Balcony House site would
develop a more year-round recreational experience
that appeals to all ages and enlivens the core of the
village and ski base. This is not yet finalized by the
resort, but discussions are underway.
Innovative plans at Snowmass will bring a breath of
fresh air to an area that has been awaiting updates for
several years now. Aspen Skiing Co. is moving ahead
with the Limelight Hotel at Snowmass and a new
skier-services building, both of which are expected
to break ground in the spring, around the same time
that Related Co.’s Snowmass is expected to begin exe-
cuting long-planned improvements to the two main
arrival buildings on an adjacent site. As efforts to pro-
gram the village for all-season activities get underway,
ideas such as an ice skating rink that will transform
into a farmer’s market and community entertain-
ment plaza in the summer are also being drawn up.
In the center of Snowmass Village, OZ Architecture
is also partnering with Aspen-based Harry Teague Ar-
chitects to design a new Snowmass Discovery build-
ing to house the Ice Age Discovery Exhibition, an in-
teractive mammoth and mastodon museum that the
town hopes will be a year-round draw for locals and
out-of-towners of all ages.
The drive for more year-round, nonskiing activi-
ties at mountain resorts is not an accident. Most Col-
orado resorts have been thinking about the effects
of long-term climate change for several years now
and are pivoting toward becoming a launch point
for outdoor adventure and overall wellness instead
of simply a place to enjoy snow sports. Four-season
activities not only attract multigenerational travelers
all year, but also they get visitors interested in longer
stays. Offering a full slate of outdoor options – from
paddle boarding, community art and culture, to tub-
ing, fly-fishing, river rafting, zip lines, roller coasters,
mountain bike trails and aquatics facilities – as well as
interesting, wider-ranging food and beverage options
that appeal to a variety of visitors are critical to future
viability and profitability.
In addition to expanding the activity list, resorts also
are shifting to accommodate the larger family groups
that are traveling together more frequently. The trend
of grandparents, parents and children vacationing
together means the end of the era of one-bedroom
units and higher demand for larger “legacy proper-
ties” – vacation homes that can accommodate multi-
ple generations and remain in the family. With this
in mind, many Colorado resorts are retrofitting and
adjoining smaller units to create three- and four-bed-
room homes that also feature a generous common
area where groups can comfortably gather. We recent-
ly worked with the Viceroy Snowmass Resort to do
just this, adjoining what had previously been separate,
smaller units to provide additional space and flexibil-
ity and, in turn, creating some of its most in-demand
rentals.
New models of ownership are also being explored.
At the Aspen Club, we have worked with owner Mi-
chael Fox to create a wellness-based experience with
fractional ownership of the units. In this model, vaca-
tion experiences are very active and attract the guests
who are seeking a healthy lifestyle on their getaway,
where their commitment is adjustable based on their
fraction of investment.
As Colorado resorts shift gears to improve visitor
experiences, accommodate multiple generations trav-
eling together and offer unique activities year-round,
locals have both the easiest access and much to gain
as well. For example, The Sonnenalp Club at Vail, with
Johannes Faessler at the helm, recently openedHarvest,
Rebecca Stone
Managing
Principal, OZ
Architecture
ELEMENTS
Mountain Resorts
Snowmass combined smaller units to accommodate larger
families vacationing together.
