berglund-architects

An Eagle, Colorado Home Defines Living Well in the Mountains

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 16:32:49 GMT

Biophilic design creates a mountain retreat centered on wellness and connection.

March 26, 2026 Hans Berglund & Stephanie Lord-Johnson

A Home Connected to the Land

The architecture is organized along a linear plan that allows nearly every major room to sit along an exterior wall. This strategy opens the home to expansive mountain views while allowing large windows to bring the surrounding landscape into daily life.

The environment remains visually present in every room. Connection to nature enhances physical and emotional well-being, and the design of the Frost Creek Residence reinforces this relationship at every turn. High ceilings and tall windows invite abundant natural light from multiple directions, which helps support healthy circadian rhythms.

Living Between Indoors and Outdoors

Mountain living thrives on the seamless transition between interior comfort and the outdoors. At Frost Creek, expansive sliding glass doors open the main living spaces to both covered and open-air terraces. The result is a series of interconnected indoor and outdoor environments.

By dissolving the boundary between inside and outside, the architecture creates a constant sensory connection to the landscape.

Healthy Materials and Systems

Hard flooring surfaces were selected to minimize the accumulation of dust and allergens while maintaining durability for mountain living. Interior finishes, including paints, stains, and adhesives, were carefully chosen to reduce toxins and support healthier indoor air quality.

Mechanical systems further enhance this environment. A continuous fresh-air ventilation system with heat recovery technology exchanges stale indoor air with filtered outside air while maintaining energy efficiency. Additional make-up air systems ensure balanced airflow when kitchen exhaust hoods or fireplaces are in use. This helps maintain comfort and air quality throughout the home.

Biophilic Interior Design

Inside, the interiors reinforce the home’s connection to nature through a palette of refined yet natural materials. Stone fireplaces, warm wood ceilings, and organic textures create a calming and grounded atmosphere. Exposed steel elements introduce subtle industrial contrasts that energize the spaces.

This palette of interior materials has a restorative vitality.

Private Retreats Within the Landscape

While the main living spaces celebrate openness and connection, the design also carefully carves out areas of privacy. The primary suite occupies its own secluded wing on a quieter portion of the site.

The primary bath evokes the experience of a mountain spa. A freestanding soaking tub sits in front of floor-to-ceiling windows that immerse the space in the surrounding landscape. An adjacent outdoor shower extends the bathing experience into the open air during warmer months and has become a daily ritual for the homeowners.

A Home That Enhances Well-Being

Ultimately, the success of the Frost Creek Residence is measured not only in its architecture but also in how it makes its occupants feel.

Clients often describe an immediate sense of calm and renewal when they arrive. The home restores energy and encourages connection with family and friends. Frost Creek Residence represents more than thoughtful mountain architecture. It is an investment in something deeper. A home designed to enhance everyday life, nurture relationships, and support a lasting sense of well-being.

PROJECT DETAILS

ARCHITECTURE – Berglund Architects
INTERIORS – Owner and Berglund Architects
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING – KRM Consultants
LANDSCAPE – Ceres Plus
CONTRACTOR – Turnipseed Construction
PHOTOGRAPHY – Ric Stovall

Hans Berglund is President and Stephanie Lord-Johnson is Principal at Berglund Architects. For 20 years, Berglund Architects of Vail, Colorado has been designing the architecture and interiors of beautiful contextual modern homes of such distinction throughout Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West, as well as throughout the US and internationally. View their profile or contact them at 970.926.4301.

Sponsored content for this article provided by Berglund Architects

The Harmonious Contradiction

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 16:32:18 GMT

How Berglund Architects Blends Steel, Stone, and Serenity to Sculpt Meaningful Spaces

May, 2025 Sixteen Ramos - Architectural Digest

Architectural Digest editorial staff were not involved with the creation of this content.

Architecture is often described as the intersection of form and function. But for Hans Berglund of Berglund Architects and his two partners Stephanie Lord-Johnson and Adam Gilmer and their team, it is also a deeply intuitive, emotional process—an art form rooted in contradiction, contrast, and balance. In their work, industrial steel beams and expansive window walls meet the raw solidity of boulder hearths and the calm continuity of curved wooden ceilings. The result? Homes that not only captivate visually but uplift, rejuvenate, and connect people to place in profound ways.

At Berglund Architects, the process is holistic. Acting as both architects and interior designers, the three partners and their team sculpt spaces from the inside out. The practice is defined by a nuanced methodology that is an unrealistically real fusion of exposed steel columns and beams with warm woods, sweeping glass expanses with solid stone hearths, and curved ceilings with angular lines. It’s a dance of contrasts, a juxtaposition of the industrial, the organic, and the refined that aims to inspire, ground, and soothe.

“Architecture can move people,” says Berglund. “It can uplift, calm, and connect people to a place and to themselves. But only when done with intention.”

That intention is grounded in emotionally resonant spaces. Steel beams and expansive glass windows may infuse a space with vitality and surprise, but left unbalanced, they risk making a home feel cold or clinical. Conversely, too many natural materials, such as stone, wood, and texture, can overwhelm, resulting in a space that feels chaotic or kitschy.

Berglund Architects’ approach is about the interplay. Berglund and his team create what he calls harmonious contradictions, where each material or design gesture doesn’t fight for attention but complements the others, offering depth, elegance, and emotional resonance.

One of the most compelling illustrations of this design language is the Wildwood Residence, a home perched in Colorado that marries high-performance modern construction with a regional, natural sensibility. The home features 18-foot-high thermally broken steel and wood windows that blur the line between indoors and out. A large fireplace anchors one end of the room, constructed with an angular stone veneer and a massive boulder hearth. Overhead, a curved wood ceiling supported by exposed beams offers a natural counterpoint to the linear steel supports.

“It has the modern, the industrial, the artistic, and the organic—all in one,” says Berglund. “And yet, it doesn’t feel cluttered or chaotic. That’s the key. Every element, every line, every material choice is designed to contribute to an emotional experience.”

What distinguishes Berglund Architects is its immersive, three-dimensional approach to both architecture and interiors. The firm often begins from the inside out, working closely alongside their clients to design spaces not just for their look but for how they will feel, how light will move through them during the day, how textures will interact, and how each detail will contribute to a unified emotional rhythm.

By leveraging in-house interior design, Berglund Architects' highly collaborative team integrates materials with spatial flow, ensuring that the form of a fireplace informs the architecture of the room or that the arc of a ceiling mimics the contours of the surrounding land. Rather than applying surface finishes, it sculpts volumes, each material chosen not for aesthetics alone but for its psychological and spatial impact.

“Stone anchors you,” Berglund says. “Steel energizes you. Wood calms. Light inspires. When we synthesize these in the right way, people don’t just inhabit the space, they feel transformed by it.”

Much of Berglund Architects’ work explores the metaphorical and literal grounding effect of natural materials. Large stone fireplaces, especially those anchored by boulder hearths, serve as emotional and physical anchors. These elements are intentionally exaggerated to connect occupants to the land beneath their feet.

In contrast, massive floor-to-ceiling windows, sometimes meeting at corners with only a whisper of a steel frame, stretch the eye and the mind outward to the natural landscape. Rooflines extend over patios and outdoor living spaces, eroding boundaries between inside and outside, offering both shelter and freedom.

“There’s something about those contrasts, the solidness of stone with the vastness of a view that awakens people,” says Berglund. “It’s not just about aesthetics. It’s about designing spaces that help people feel more alive.”

Clients frequently describe their Berglund-designed homes as retreats, spaces that make them feel lighter, healthier, and more connected to themselves and their loved ones. Many enter into the process expecting a vacation home and end up making it their primary residence. “We hear this all the time,” Berglund shares. “‘We just feel better here.’ That’s the greatest compliment. It tells us we’ve created not just a beautiful building but a sanctuary.”

This is no accident. Berglund Architects draws inspiration from architectural history like cathedrals designed for transcendence or libraries designed for contemplation and applies that same psychological and spiritual lens to residential architecture. “We’ve known for centuries how buildings can affect emotion,” he says. “Why not bring that intentionality into the homes we live in every day?”

There is no rigid formula to Berglund Architects' design process. Instead, it’s an intuitive blend of light, texture, proportion, and form. Each project begins with the site, the climate, and the client’s needs. From there, materials are tested in the firm’s studio using 3D modeling and physical samples, allowing ideas to evolve naturally. “It’s an artistic process,” says Berglund. “You’re constantly adjusting, constantly refining. You’re finding that sweet spot between surprise and serenity, between energy and calm.”

In a world increasingly driven by trends and visual appeal, Berglund Architects stands apart—designing homes that don’t just look good in pictures but that feel like sanctuaries to those who live in them. Because in the end, architecture isn’t just about what one sees. It’s about how one feels. And at Berglund Architects, every curve, beam, and boulder is placed with that in mind.

Mountain Kitchen Designs Worth Emulating

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 22:18:30 GMT

Four kitchens that strike that perfect balance between style and function.

February 17, 2026 Irene Rawlings - Mountain Living Magazine

ROBB REPORT - License to Chill

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 21:51:32 GMT

December 2025

An ultramodern Cabo compound proves that sleek homes can still have soul.

By Kathryn O'Shea-Evans Photographed by Douglas Friedman

Explore Our Latest Custom Homes in the Colorado Rockies

hans@berglundarchitects.com (Hans Berglund) — Thu, 22 May 2025 16:13:03 GMT

At Berglund Architects, each project is a thoughtful blend of design excellence, environmental harmony, and client vision. We're excited to share three of our most recent custom homes—each one reflecting the unique beauty and spirit of its location while showcasing our commitment to timeless mountain modern design. Similar to most of our current and recent projects, we provided the architectural and interior design for all three of the houses, which created a seamless integration of the architecture and interiors creating strong indoor-outdoor connections and generous exterior living spaces. The homes integration with the landscape, combined with the floor to ceiling windows and doors capturing the views, physically and psychologically connect the homes occupants to the surrounding environment, while organic stone fireplaces provide a grounding. We feel all three homes exemplify our goal of creating architecture that has the power to positively affect the lives of our clients with uplifting light filled spaces with a calming casual eloquence. All of the materials and design elements where carefully curated to create sanctuaries for our clients.

Potato Patch Residence, Vail, CO

The home’s design features a dynamic interplay of stone, steel beams, copper siding panels, Thermory heat treated wood siding, and expansive floor to ceiling windows and doors to embrace the landscape and fill the house with natural light, while also being low maintenance and wild fire resistant. With modern lines and rustic materials, this residence embodies a sophisticated yet inviting mountain retreat.

Beaver Creek Residence, Beaver Creek, CO

This striking ski-in ski-out mountain modern residence in Beaver Creek combines clean architectural lines with warm, natural finishes to create a contemporary alpine sanctuary. Dramatic rooflines, floor-to-ceiling windows by Bromball and Marvin Modern, and an illuminated floating staircase set the tone for a bold, open-concept layout that seamlessly connects interior spaces with the stunning outdoors, a perfect harmony of design, light, and livability.

Frost Creek Residence, Eagle, CO

Located in the private golf course community of Frost Creek, this home is designed for relaxed luxury and year-round enjoyment. Low maintenance reclaimed wood siding, stone veneer walls, and steel elements lend a rustic-modern aesthetic, while outdoor living areas—including a covered deck, patio, and spa—invite connection to the breathtaking surroundings. Continuous exterior insultation at exterior walls, spray foam in wall and roof cavities and high-performance Sierra Pacific Windows make this low maintenance house even more sustainable. The open living plan flows effortlessly between communal and private spaces, offering comfort and flexibility for mountain living.

Each of these homes exemplifies our belief that great design is born from collaboration, context, and craft. Visit our Custom Homes page to explore more of our work and discover how we bring dream homes to life in the heart of the Rockies.

Berglund Architects Featured in BBeyond Design Icons 2024 Volume VIII

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 22:20:20 GMT

We are honored to announce that Berglund Architects has been featured in the 2024 edition of BBeyond Design Icons: Volume VIII. A prestigious showcase celebrating outstanding architectural innovation and excellence.

Our latest highlighted projects capture the essence of our "mountain modern" design philosophy — creating homes that seamlessly integrate with Colorado’s breathtaking landscapes while embracing clean, contemporary forms. Featured prominently is a Vail Valley residence where architectural daring meets natural beauty: a suspended full-length lap pool provides swimmers with a surreal experience, floating amidst mountain vistas. An acrylic panel at the pool’s end and an open-grate observation deck amplify the sensation of hovering thirty feet above the landscape.

Every detail of the home speaks to our commitment to blending industrial craftsmanship with organic materials. From the dramatic floating fireplace framed by walnut paneling to the expansive steel-framed windows capturing panoramic mountain views, each element reflects our drive to create spaces that nourish the spirit. Patios, rooftop decks, and a rooftop bar further extend indoor living outward, maximizing Colorado’s stunning seasonal beauty.

Berglund Architects’ designs prioritize sustainability, innovation, and timeless elegance. Our team’s focus on contextual design, energy efficiency, and sophisticated material palettes has led to award-winning homes throughout the Vail Valley and internationally. We continue to push mountain modern architecture forward, balancing bold structural expressions with the warmth and richness of natural stone, reclaimed wood, and sculptural steel.

We invite you to explore our work featured in BBeyond Design Icons: Volume VIII and experience how Berglund Architects brings vision, site, and craftsmanship together to create spaces that truly connect people to place.

Living Well by Design: Creating Homes That Nourish the Spirit

stephanie@berglundarchitects.com (Stephanie Lord - Johnson) — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 21:05:46 GMT

The integrated architectural and interior design team at Berglund Architects crafts sanctuaries through the application of three distinctive principles.

When your home is your sanctuary, it nourishes your spirit, inspires your thoughts, relaxes your mind and enhances your connection with yourself, your loved ones and the world around you.

Experienced architects and interior designers understand this and will invest significant time getting to know their clients early in the design process. By gaining insight into the client’s lifestyle, the atmosphere they wish to create and how they envision connecting with family and guests across indoor and outdoor spaces, designers can shape a home that feels uplifting, comfortable and deeply personal.

Over the past two decades, the team at Berglund Architects has developed three key design principles to help us create homes that provide a sense of calm refuge from the hectic world and a deep connection to the environment and people around them.

Principle #1

Create uplifting, energetic and inspiring spaces with high ceilings, abundant natural light and subtle juxtaposition of grounding versus expansive elements.

The 22-foot ceiling, shown above, creates a spacious, open feel that encourages reflection. Exposed steel and grid-style windows add a modern, orderly touch, while curved glulam beams and a sculptural stone fireplace bring warmth and organic contrast. This blend of industrial and natural elements gives the space a calm, balanced energy. The gentle artistic curve of the ceiling and angled sculptural fireplace add an understated elegance to the great room, while the fireplace offers a sense of grounding to the expansiveness of the windows.

Principle #2

Connect people to nature and one another through indoor-outdoor living, large windows and doors, continuity of design elements between inside and outside and casually comfortable gathering spaces. The steel window wall above captures the expansive mountain views, while corner windows extend the landscape beyond the room. This blurring of the indoor-outdoor barrier creates physical and psychological separation. Studies show natural light boosts serotonin, improves mood and reduces stress and anxiety. In this home, floor-to-ceiling windows, clerestory openings and side windows provide balanced light throughout the living spaces. The feel and character of the home constantly change depending on the season, weather and time of day. This direct connection to the environment increases vitality, helps regulate the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, reduces feelings of confinement and promotes well-being.

Covered outdoor rooms like this one feature fireplaces and ceiling-mounted infrared heaters for warmth on cool evenings and shade from the sun during the day, making outdoor living comfortable year-round. Thoughtfully positioned outdoor rooms provide shelter from the wind and foster a strong connection to the landscape

The outdoor fireplace anchors the seating area, creating a cozy spot for intimate gatherings amid expansive views. Uncovered stone patios offer sunny spaces when desired, while lower fire pit and hot tub areas further deepen the connection to the natural surroundings.

Principle #3

Create a feeling of casual elegance that is sophisticated yet comfortable through a harmonious balance of a warm palette of cleanly detailed natural materials with dramatic organic elements, modern design influences and subtle industrial elements.

In this photo, a dramatic canted fireplace sits atop a boulder hearth. Soft textural furnishings and organic natural stone connect the space to the land, balancing the industrial feel of the steel windows and exposed structure.

Materials that flow from exterior to interior, such as stone veneer on walls and fireplace and random flagstone at the interior and exterior entry and patios, further the harmonious feel of living with nature throughout the house.

Author: Stephanie Lord-Johnson

Photography: Ric Stovall, Stovall Studio

A LIFELONG PASSION

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 23:31:08 GMT

A Lifelong Passion | February, 2016

Luxe Colorado’s Spring 2016 issue features a profile of Architect Hans Berglund! Read a bit about Hans’ background and his take on luxury, sustainability and regional design…

SLEEK SHELTER

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 23:27:03 GMT

Sleek Style | December, 2015

Berglund Architects is in the press again! The mountain modern West Fairway Drive Residence is featured in Vail Resorts’ Epic Life magazine this winter. Click to read the full article.

BROMBAL ITALY - PART DUE

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 23:07:36 GMT

Brombal Italy – Part Due | September, 2016

Following another 4-course meal, the second part of our tour began with a trip to Zanatta Glass . Italian safety regulations are a bit more lax than those in the USA, so without a pair of safety goggles, steel toed boots or hard hat in sight, we stayed well within the designated yellow lines while enormous sheets of glass flew overhead. Zanatta’s 430,550 sq ft facility processes, tempers, laminates and assembles insulated glass units up to 10.5’ x 24.5’ as well as producing glass for the automotive and naval industries. Their sophisticated machinery, inspections and testing processes ensure a high-quality final product without warping or defects (ie. very clear glass).

Hydraulic work tables are raised vertically to receive glass panes to avoid stressing and breaking the glass.

Large glass sheets are scored by machines into the required sizes minimizing waste. All glass offcuts are also recycled.

Insulated glazing spacer bar.

Our final stop was the recently expanded Serramenti Brombal. Here we were able to see the final assembly of the Secco Profiles into custom window and door units by skilled craftsmen and meet their impressive drafting and engineering staff. There are very few machines in the Brombal factory and we were able to see employees assembling, welding, sanding and finishing each window by hand. This level of quality and attention to detail does come at a premium and Brombal has recently begun to produce some lower cost windows, to be more competitive with US manufacturers, by incorporating welded hinges and aluminum glazing beads. While they continue to recommend their higher quality product, these modifications, which are standard on many other steel windows, represent significant savings.

welded hinges

Brombal’s adjustable hinges allow for minute adjustments during installation for smooth operation as well as over the life of the window to accommodate changes such as settlement and material expansion and contraction.

Hand finishing of connections between the window frame and mullions make welded joints invisible to the eye.

Corten Steel patina applied by hand

Brombal master craftsman welding and finishing a perfect mitered corner in high gloss scotch-brite finish. (He is the only one allowed to do this)

Brombal are in the process of expanding their factory and have recently installed new equipment to allow for a greater array of custom finishing to be done in-house.

Direct set to operable window connection with stiffener.

Understanding the combining of different window profiles has been one of the most important elements of the design process for us in order to achieve the minimal frame dimensions we are trying to achieve aesthetically and to use the steel to its full potential.

Seeing the manufacturing and assembly of Brombal’s windows and talking with their staff in person has been an invaluable experience for our office. Understanding the potentials and limitations of a product allows us to streamline our process, make informed design decisions and be cognisant of what distinguishes them from their competitors. The trip to Italy didn’t hurt either and we are incredibly grateful to both Brad Wright at Alan Bradley Windows and Doors and the entire Brombal family for their generosity and hospitality in hosting and coordinating our incredible trip. Grazie mille a tutti!

MOUNTAIN LIVING SAYS, ”THIS ULTRA-MODERN VAIL HOME GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND”

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 22:40:07 GMT

With expansive views and high-end features, this home is like a steel-and-glass oasis on a cloud.

Featured in Mountain Living Magazine on April 17th, 2020, Hans Berglund expands on the firm’s 9,000-square-foot modern home, located in Vail, Colorado. The glass castle even features a glass-bottomed pool to top off the luxurious features of this home.

S ee more photos and project details.

Read the full article in Mountain Living.

LUXE INTERIORS + DESIGN “TRICKS FROM THE TRADE” – PANELIST HANS BERGLUND

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 18:21:23 GMT

During this time, “not only are [these design pros] adapting to what’s going on, but they are moving forward and growing their business in all of this” remarked Mary Jo Bowling, Colorado’s Home Editor.

On April 23rd, 2020, Hans Berglund, the founder of Berglund Architects, was one of the four panelists and discusses processes our firm has implemented in the last several years that has helped us successfully work through this challenging time.

The panelists from the Colorado region virtually gathered to discuss “Tricks from the Trade”, moderated by Colorado’s Home Editor, Mary Jo Bowling. In the discussion, the team of Colorado design professions uncover the positive outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of the construction and design industry.

The panelists discuss topics from their responsibility to their communities and clients to maintain safety measures, the up rise in people reevaluating the way they navigate and live in their homes, to how companies are expanding their virtual/online presence and tools for customers.

See the video below to learn more!

BERGLUND QUARANTINIS – HAPPY HOUR EVERY FRIDAY

Sat, 07 Jan 2023 10:30:32 GMT

Happy birthday to Amelia Kraft, Architect, featuring the classic Piña Colada!

When Quarantine began, the team decided to have a weekly Happy Hour to keep the office connected and to keep things fun, a time to talk about how everyone is doing outside of the office. It started off when designer Katherine Crew delivered Berglund-tini’s to the doorstep of each employee. The kit included either a Berglund-rita or Berglund-tini, and of course a lime. From then on, the team gathers each Friday around 4:30pm to toast to another successful week working from home with a new, craft cocktail!

Each week features a new drink, maybe a festive shirt or costume, and a cheers!

So far, the team has featured:

Week 1: Berglund-tini or Berglund-rita

Week 2: Piña Coladas

Week 3: Cinco de Mayo – Choose a tequila cocktail, margarita, or Mexican beer!

Next up: Classic Gin & Tonic