Snowmass history: The Stump

“CU students design, build SAA facility” announced The Aspen Times, Nov. 6, 1969. “A unique base-lodge facility at the new ski area at Snowmass-at-Aspen will greet skiers this winter. Called The Stump, in keeping with the existing Timbers and Twig at West Village, it was completed recently. University of Colorado architecture students were incited to submit designs for the facility which consists of a ticket booth, men’s and women’s rest rooms, and snack bar. The students submitting the winning design then built the 2200 square-foot structure themselves. The object was to give the students an opportunity to design a building that would actually be built, Snowmass officials said. Then, by constructing it themselves, the students would be exposed to the practical problems confronting the contractor as a result of the architect’s design. The project also taught the students ways of conserving money without sacrificing good design, according to officials. Richard Whitaker, a CU professor of architecture, picked six of his third and fourth year students to submit designs to a judging group consisting of William Selby and Donald L. Davidson of the Snowmass American Development Department and Nasser Sadighi from the Aspen architectural firm of Fredric A. Benedict and Associates. Students Check Raleigh, David Kelty, Gregg Snowden, Steve Franek, Andy Yates, and Joe Van Sant each did a design, and the resulting ideas were critiqued by the group and consolidated to come up with the best plan. Students then spent a month in Aspen working with Benedict’s firm and analyzing their plan in relationship to site, materials needed, and how the project could best be accomplished. They began actual construction of the building last June under the supervision of a Snowmass American construction engineer Rolf Sandberg. The students ordered all the material, worked with all the subcontractors, and did all the carpentry work. They received architectural course credit, food, and lodging for the summer project. Snowmass officials said they hoped additional designed projects could be given to CU architecture students in the future.” 

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