Charles Cunniffe, FAIA, is a leader in the architectural profession in quality design; championing and reinforcing community goals of thoughtful community growth, educational opportunities, the arts and human welfare.
Charles arrived in Aspen in 1979 when he was enlisted by Thomas Wells, Architect, to be the Project Architect for the Master Planning, design and approvals for the renovation and addition to the historic Hotel Jerome. Followed by a year with Robin Molney (who studied with Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesen West), Charles subsequently established the firm of Charles Cunniffe Architects (CCA) in 1981, in order to pursue his design philosophy within the studio environment of a progressive architectural, interiors and planning firm.
Charles’s educational background includes Bachelor Degrees in Architecture, Fine Arts and Sculpture from the Rhode Island School of Design, followed by studies at Harvard Graduate School of Design, MIT, and Brown University. He is registered in Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York, is certified with NCARB, and is a member of the American Institute of Architects.
Charles has served as President Elect and President of AIA Colorado West from 2013 through 2016. He is actively involved in community affairs acting as Founding Board Member and Chairman of Governance of Jazz Aspen/Snowmass, and was a Founding Board Member of Telluride’s Sheridan Arts Foundation. Charles is the elected Pitkin County Representative on the Board of Trustees of Colorado Mountain College and its Foundation Board. He was a long-time Board member of the Aspen Art Museum. He served six years as the Aspen Historic Preservation Chair, and is responsible for countless historic renovations throughout the region. Charles is a Founding Board Member of the River Bridge Center. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute, Rocky Mountain Institute’s National Solutions Council, Aspen Institute’s Society of Fellows, Aspen Science Center, the Aspen Rotary, and the Aspen Elks Lodge #224. In addition, he has served on AIA committees on design, urban planning and historic preservation and the AIA International Committee. Charles was appointed to the US/UK Fulbright Commission in 1999.
World travels inform Charles’s work with an insatiable curiosity of history, culture and rich artistic applications in architecture of all genres. Charles is a father of two children, pilots his own plane, is an avid skier, enjoys sailing, playing drums and playing golf.
In February 2017, for recognition of his notable contributions to the advancement of the profession of architecture, Charles was elected to The College of Fellows of The American Institute of Architects.
