In the serene alpine setting of Leadville, Colorado, sit a series of pre-fabricated cabins for Colorado Outward Bound School Staff. Each 200 square foot cabin provide private quarters for one or two staff members. A Central staff lodge is accessible to the cabins for bathing, cooking, and laundry.

With an average annual temperature of 35 degrees Fahrenheit the seven all-season structures were required to meet the standards of the International Energy Conservation Code climate zone 7&8 (the coldest zone in the United States). Inspired by quinzees, a snow shelter made from a hollowed-out pile of snow, adapting the logic of “snow insulation” for the structures. The cabins employ structurally insulated panels (SIPs) for the walls and flat roofs. The roofs are designed to hold the snow in the winter, providing an additional R-20 to R-30 of insulation depending on the depth of the snow. A single electrical circuit powers each structure. This is accomplished by the small cabin footprints, LED lighting, and the super insulation of the SIPs combined with the snow’s natural insulation. This efficiency reflects the school’s commitment to the environment.

The orientation and articulation of each of the seven cabins react individually to the immediate site conditions present in the rugged landscape. No two cabins are alike. Hot rolled steel cladding provides a low maintenance rain screen for the structure. The cladding and the vertical columns of the moment frame below blend with the pine forest, minimizing the visual impact. Cedar clad front and back porches are carved from the main mass to create an entry and private outdoor spaces for the more introverted, permanent COBS staff. The cabin interiors are skinned in birch plywood bringing warmth to the structure and a connection with the trees surrounding the site.

In collaboration with Colorado Building Workshop.