Mountain Modern in Aspen, Colorado
Fresh Mid-Century Modern Home Listings from Across the U.S.A.
Winter is really here, unless you live in L.A., I guess. With snow piling up around most of the country it seems fitting to highlight some mountain modernism, this time in Aspen, Colorado.
Aspen, settled in 1879, served as a mountain home to miners and frontiersmen long before anyone thought to consider it a glamorous destination. Located along the Roaring Fork River at the edge of the White River National Forest in West Central Colorado, the landscape is rugged and dramatic. The Colorado Silver Boom of the late 1800s brought the first wave of settlers, most of whom had moved on by the 1930s, leaving Aspen a near ghost town. It wasn’t until the 1940’s that the development of a ski resort kicked off a wave of growth that really hasn’t stopped since.
Entrepreneurs, idealists, and some world-renowned architects were attracted to the growth and stunning mountain scenery. Icons, including Walter Gropius, John Lautner, and Eero Saarinen, would help play a role in a rich modernist heritage that remains an important part of the Aspen community today.

Early development in the area was humble, but grew in ambition and style as rustic frontier era buildings were replaced by more eclectic offerings. Swiss Chalet Style was popular early on, linking America’s still nascent ski scene with the sophisticated ski resorts of Europe. But the 1950s brought a new wave of architects and designers who brought the modern ideals of the era along too. Noted skier and Taliesin fellow, Frederic “Fritz” Benedict designed the Bank of Aspen in 1956. The bold, flat-roofed building expressed clear Frank Lloyd Wright inspiration. With its exposed wood beams, recycled brick and cantilevering, the structure set an early tone for modernism and organic style in the town. He would go on to design the Aspen Highlands lodge, a defining step forward in “mountain modern.”
Further development in the late 50’s and 60’s saw the emergence of Modern Chalet Style. Less decorative and more streamlined than their predecessors, new lodges and chalets took a more minimalist approach. Low-to-moderately pitched roofs with broad glass facades began to make their mark. One-story flat-roof single family homes by Herbert Bayer and others proliferated as well. It was the ski condo however that proved a surprisingly impactful (and pervasive) innovation, with clean saw-tooth rooflines paying homage to the mountain peaks above.
The founding of the Aspen Institute represented another important milestone in Aspen’s modernist movement. Wealthy Chicago businessman, Walter Paepcke envisioned a center for culture and arts to help train and inspire future generations. Paepcke, who had previously patronized Bauhaus projects, helped bring together Aspen’s budding architectural community. The Aspen Institute Campus would come to fruition over the next decade with a marble garden, “Green Mound,” modern institute buildings, guest housing, and even a geodesic dome.
By the late 60’s, Aspen’s transformation from humble mining town to luxury ski destination was nearly complete. New music and film festivals served as further draws. “Gonzo” journalist Hunter S. Thompson lived in a downtown hotel and even ran for County Sheriff. Singer John Denver wrote two songs about the place before eventually deciding to call Aspen home. Today, the mountain modern tradition continues. With increasingly impressive vacation homes, each seeking to outdo the next, the efforts of Aspen’s modernist pioneers feel quaint in retrospect.
To learn more about modernism in Aspen, check out the work of the folks over at Aspen Modern (AspenMod.com).
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