When Henry David Thoreau wrote the immensely influential classic Walden; Or, Life in the Woods about simple living in natural surroundings, it?s safe to say he wasn?t envisioning a waterfront mansion. Completed in a small cabin of his own making on Walden Pond near Concord, Massachusetts, the book uses the passage of the four seasons as a metaphor for human development. Today, it’s often associated with solitude, spiritual discovery, and self-sufficiency.

Though Thoreau?s original cabin no longer exists, an onsite replica memorializing the author consists of just a single room, giving us a vivid visual representation of his vision. When Selldorf Architects set out to capture its spirit for a $29 million Colorado mountain home, they knew their project would contrast sharply with the raw simplicity of Thoreau?s former residence.
Relating ?Walden House? to the story that inspires it requires conjuring up its essence in the form of materials and mood. World-renowned architect Annabelle Selldorf has created a luxurious modern residence that would be completely foreign to Thoreau, but connection to nature is the real point she’s trying to make here.

?I loved the notion of making a connection to something that has such a strong association with the way that we relate to nature,? Selldorf told Architectural Digest. ?I wanted the house to be situated in such a way to strengthen the connections between inside and outside, the built world and the natural w...