Happy New Year from our Team to you!

2023 was another exceptional year (with 2024 shaping up to be even better!)

The year was spent deep in design, with multiple projects in the beginning or final stages of design and construction. Two exciting points in the life of a project — although often, the magic is in the middle!

In the midst of designing we were also looking inward, with a focus on how to streamline, inspire, uplevel, and challenge ourselves. After the pandemic, it seems most design firms have been challenged with delicate balance between design staff working remote and in the office. We too, have had many conversations and explored various ways of working together. This fall we gathered the troops to spend time in the outdoors, visit projects, laugh, charrette, laugh some more, and enjoy being a team together!

What we found, was a reinvigorated sense of community. We’re so fortunate to have a crew of like-minded, thoughtful, dedicated, talented and outstanding professionals on our team. We inspire eachother, there is zero ego (which we’re so thankful for!) and we all just really enjoy eachother.

With that, comes a culture where hard conversations can be had, obstacles can be worked through…and a sense of team. What that means for our clients – cohesive, thoughtful, impactful design. 2024 will likely be our best year yet, and we look forward to sharing it with you!

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CCA Wins Interior Design Award for Aspen City Hall

We are proud to announce that Aspen City Hall was awarded an American Society of Interior Designers Colorado Crystal Award. Being such an iconic project in our very own town, City Hall is a project that is near and dear to our hearts. We worked alongside a tremendous team to bring this project to fruition and could not be more proud.

Each area of the building is tailored to its specific program, with the floor plans creating a lively and varied interior architecture. Exterior materiality, detailing and form hark to the mining and light industrial era while the interiors are fresh, crisp and welcoming with undertones of the city’s new green logo. The art-filled interior provides a biophilic environment that enhances productivity and well-being. Views and decks overlooking the surrounding parks provide visual relief and access to the natural environment. North facing daylighting extends into the 135 desks and public interface spaces. Vertical circulation through the building connects all levels, ushering light to the building’s core. Clever use of channel glass fortifies the notion of transparency between people and government, while Council Chamber doors open to the public plaza, furthering the connection. The building has exceeded the City’s expectations and has become a lively city hub.

American Society of Interior Designers Colorado

Team: Charles Cunniffe Architects, Gensler, Shaw Construction.

Photos by Dallas Harris Photography

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CCA Wins LUXE Magazine RED Award!

We are thrilled to announce that our Casa Cresta project won another design award! Each year, LUXE Magazine holds a national design competition and awards projects throughout the US.

After winning the Mountain Living magazine Home of the Year, we could not be more proud to bring home a LUXE Red Award for the Casa Cresta Kitchen design. A huge shout out to all involved! It certainly takes a village! See below for project team….

Luxe Red Award Casa Cresta announcement

Architecture + Design: @ccaaspen
Interior Decorator: @della_and_zella_interiors
Builder: @rudd_construction
Landscape Design: Greg Mozian & Assoc and @land_design39
Lighting Consultant: @elumenate
MEP Engineer: AEC
Civil Engineer: @sgm_engineering_surveying
Home AV: Campbell Audio Video
Pool Contractor: @timberlinepools
Acoustical Design: D.L. Adams
Windows: Grabill Windows
Cabinetry: @coloradocustommillwork
Tile: @decorativematerials
Photos: @dallasandharrisphoto

Click here to view the award.

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CCA Wins Three Design Awards

We are proud to announce that three CCA projects were awarded with Gold Nugget Merit Awards. Selected by a panel of top industry experts who reviewed over 650 entries, we are proud that these three projects rose to the top! Thank you to our esteemed group of professionals who brought each project to fruition. We are incredibly proud and hope you are too.

“The Gold Nugget Award winners reflect our industry’s best, brightest, and most innovative architects, designers, and builder/developers,” notes Lisa Parrish, judging chairman and ceremonies administrator for the program. “The 2023 winners prove the beauty of design.”



Award winning aspen architect wins design award for Casa Cresta on Red Mountain in Aspen Colorado
Tour the Casa Cresta Project here

CCA award winning design of the Aspen City Hall in downtown Aspen Colorado
Tour Aspen City Hall here

Tour the Aspen City Hall here

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Summer with Perspective (Part 1)

As summer quickly moves in (finally!), we took a moment to reflect on a few different project types, focusing on the importance of capturing summer. Designing throughout the US and abroad, we often have the opportunity to work with all four seasons, and must look at each design through the lenses of winter, spring, summer and fall. So much changes from the depths of winter to the peak of summer, and an architect must consider the full pendulum when designing. The light angle and intensity varies, wind can be a factor in certain months, rain and thunderstorms can move in without a moment’s notice, and of course snow – and this year we thankfully had a ton here in Aspen! 

A few projects we look back on, to see how we captured either the outdoor views, utilized the landscape in interesting ways, worked the outdoors in, and designed to foster a true sense of connectivity in the way we live with nature. 

A glass bridge over a stream connects the Elk Peak bedroom wing, with the living area.
Stunning mountain vistas are captured through glass at Aspen Glam.
A perforated, curving steel wall reflects the nearby Roaring Fork river and provides privacy for the Aspen Police Department outdoor dining area.
Varying roof angles and material strength are perfectly executed in the Aspen Park private residence, with views towards the continental divide.
Inspired by the owner’s love of tropical vacations, Desert Oasis in Phoenix, AZ is it’s own private resort in the desert. Deep overhangs, a free-flowing pool with fire pits and multiple areas to lounge create the perfect escape.
A once dated & sunken living room was reimagined and refreshed. Pastoral and mountain views captured through floor to ceiling re-worked glazing at Owl Creek.
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Creating a Legacy Home

Recently, Charles and Rich were interviewed by Western Home Journal magazine, about what it takes to create a family’s legacy home. A home that is designed to house and entertain a family today, and last for multiple generations. From space planning, to durable materials and energy consumption, they dove deep into our process and methodologies.

In addition, the article highlights a few of our recent legacy homes and the variety of design details woven in. Our firm’s culture is touched on, as well as our “why”.

We hope you enjoy this article….click here

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A New Year!

Its a new year, and with each January we reflect on all our successes, challenges overcome, and look forward to all that is ahead of us. 2022 was an incredibly successful year, with much to celebrate! A few highlights:

  • Our Casa Cresta Project won the 2022 Mountain Living Magazine Home of the Year!
  • The Roaring Fork Fire Rescue Station 45 earned an AIA Colorado Award
  • Two of our projects earned Gold Nugget Awards: Whitefish, Ouray County Courthouse, with the Courthouse winning the Gold!
  • Our firm was named on OUTSIDE Magazine’s Best Places to Work for the 7th consecutive year
  • We welcomed three new team members: Alyssa Miller, Sara Schroeder and Courtney Nystrom
  • We were named one of Mountain Living’s Top Architects
  • We had work featured in the Wall Street Journal, Mountain Living, and Outside Magazine
  • We balanced in-office time and remote work, with the aim of allowing our team to work where it was most beneficial to our clients and each individuals’ needs
  • We moved projects from conceptual, to design development, into construction and finally completion. In each phase, we honed our craft, enriched new and old relationships, and explored new materials, technologies and methods

Looking forward, we have a pipeline of incredible projects in the residential, commercial, hospitality, public and pro-bono space. With room for a few more, we’ll be looking for that next new client. We look forward to sharing more of our work in the coming months and appreciate you following along! Happy 2023!

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CCA WINS HOME OF THE YEAR!

We are immensely proud to announce that CCA’s Casa Cresta was named the 2022 Home of the Year, by Mountain Living magazine.

Tucked into a unique site on Aspen’s exclusive Red Mountain, Casa Cresta embraces spectacular mountain views, while championing a modern-urban aesthetic. Entertaining, indoor/outdoor living and modern art inspired the design for this family home with contemporary yet relaxed luxury – artfully blending materials and pattern. 

 “This magnificent home was designed for a couple’s lifestyle – from throwing their annual summer party with 100 friends from around the world – to spending time together in their own private serene retret as they admire the nonstop views,” says Mountain Living Editor in Chief Darla Worden. “Our judges were impressed at the thoughtful details that went into the home’s design – ample space for large parties but also as a family for the homeowners, their children and grandchildren.”

To read the story, click here.

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PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: ASPEN CITY HALL

Its not every day that an architecture firm earns the privilege of designing a new City Hall building in very their own town. When CCA was awarded the project after the successful completion of the Aspen Facilities Master Plan and Aspen Police Department, we knew this would be an impactful, challenging and all-encompassing project. That it was. Most of all, it was a rewarding project and one we are very proud of.

A bit about the design:

The new Aspen City Hall is a lively urban ensemble, providing a new community resource and gathering place. The site was an existing and underutilized city asset, fronting a municipal parking lot and city-owned Rio Grande Park. The location allowed for an extension of the existing rooftop plaza to further connect the downtown core, to the parks and river beyond.

Aspen City Hall is organized around existing municipal and civic facilities, parks and plazas which are landscaped on a series of public spaces connecting the mountain to the south, with the river to the north. As an artificial extension of the hillside, the green roof of the new building acts as the connective tissue linking the mountain to the river, creating a natural greenway. Natural paths extend from the landscape to the roofscape, creating wayfinding for people to move around and through.

On the ground floor, the facades recede to expand the public realm, creating canopies to welcome visitors, collaborators, and community members. Each area of the building is tailored to its specific program, with the floor plans creating a lively and varied interior architecture.

The art-filled interior provides a biophilic environment that aims to enhance productivity and well-being. The surrounding parks, with ample green elements, provide visual relief and access to the natural environment.

Recently completed, the building was designed to achieve LEED Gold and WELL Building certificates, which are currently in progress.

Click here to see the project’s photo collection

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Annual Family Picnic

Each summer we gather the crew, their families (and dogs of course!), and enjoy a Friday afternoon eating, laughing, drinking, and playing lawn games. Its one of our favorite annual gatherings and one tradition of many, that we relish in. Seeing everyone’s families and spending time outdoors connects us in ways we never expect. So thankful to have this incredible group of professionals who are such strong design individuals – and just great people. How did we get so lucky?!

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