Sited at the edge of the Roaring Fork River in Aspen, Colorado, this 9,142-square-foot house was inspired by the 1970s modernist house it replaces. Designed in collaboration with Brian Smallwood (of the Nashville, Tennessee firm of Five.13 Architecture) for his family, Menendez Architects was entrusted to develop Smallwood’s conceptual design into the family’s vacation home. Sited closely along the river’s edge, the design orients all the main living spaces and the master bedroom toward the river so that the intensity of the sound and movement of the flowing water is seen and heard throughout the house. Light-filled living spaces, clean lines, and minimalist architecture pay homage to the original house. Albeit modern, the simplicity and warmth of the architecture and site evoke a peaceful sense of home. A second phase for this project may include the addition of a swimming pool between the house and the river to create a transition between the two.