This Japanese inspired home was designed by Principal Architect Mark Collins back when we were Colorado Master Builders & Architects. I include this project in my portfolio because of the months I spent designing, fabricating, and installing the woodwork for the home.

The wood throughout the home is primarily Clear Vertical Grain Fir (CVGF). Selected as a substitute for the more traditional Yellow Cedar of Japanese woodwork (access to Yellow Cedar was limited at the time, due to the high demand and export of Yellow Cedar from the American northwest to Japan).

Visible immediately as you enter through the hand-carved front door (the leaves of which are patterned from the leaf of the scrub oak trees that fill the site), the first unique feature you see is a stream that flows through the main space in the house. This 50-foot stream utilizes 300 gallons of recirculating water to fill the home with the peaceful ambient sounds of a quite stream. The stones, sourced from near Fairplay, Colorado were hand placed to "tune" the sound of the water to just the right level of background sound for the space.

Other notable features are the 87 movable shoji doors that can be utilized to divide the space into a variety of configurations, and the over 100 backlit shoji panels that diffuse artificial and natural light throughout the home.

The two-story dribble chain was another hand-crafted unique feature. As water flows from copper flower to copper flower, down the "chain", the sound of water extends to the lower level of the home.

While not a Japanese home in the traditional sense, the intent of the woodwork throughout the home was to honor the spirit of Japanese joinery and craftsmanship. This includes a respect for the material, utilization of joinery to connect wood members rather than metal fasteners, and allowing structural elements to show through as ornamental details within the design - rather than be hidden.

Working with such high-quality materials and craftsmanship made this project such a rewarding experience. So much so that I didn't even mind unloading the two truckloads of imported Japanese roof tile during a snowstorm in the middle of the night. Truly an experience I will never forget!