"Unaweep Style" is named for the Unaweep Canyon located in southwestern Colorado, the former course of the Colorado River as it cuts its way through the heart of the Uncomphagre Plateau. The designs recreate the monumentality, the ruggedness, and the color variations of the surrounding land. Massive exterior walls of pumice-crete characterize Unaweep structures. The large, projecting vigas (roof beams) are perhaps the most recognizable element of the style. These vigas usually support a flat roof with parapets. The use of colors, arches, courtyards with water elements, boulders and landscaping unite architecture with the local geography.

The unevenness of Unaweep Style, its rounded corners, smooth curves, and mass create a sense of belonging with its natural surroundings. The ease and simplicity of the structures show in the balanced proportions and compelling scale. The applications of recessed fenestration in the exterior wall and large amounts of natural and diffuse light characterize these structures by bringing the exterior into the interior.

Unaweep Style is a mixture of elements familiar to the Anasazi of Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon, the Pueblo Revival Style of the 1920's, and including Moorish & Roman-influenced architectural motifs with an ecological twist.

Author: Jamie B. Daugaard, A.I.A.