C1 (Concept First) Architecture + Design is a residential architectural design firm that pursues meaningful projects of varied scales and programs.
The firm was founded by Beth Mosenthal, AIA, LEED AP BD+C in 2021, after many years working on a wide variety of residential and commercial projects for global and local architecture firms in the Hamptons, New York, Shanghai, Chicago, and Denver. The firm has since been busy working on a dynamic portfolio of residential renovation, addition, and new-build projects in or near Denver, Colorado, with several projects nearing completion in late 2022/early 2023.
CONTENTS
Samples of the schematics of on-going projects as well as Mosenthal’s previous commercial and residential work are reflected in the following pages. You will note in the work samples that Mosenthal’s background in fine arts, art history, and interiors informs her architectural design, reflected in the attention to detail and the exploration of different styles that are appropriate for different projects, context, and settings.
PROCESS
Mosenthal started C1 to work with homeowners to realize their aspirations while aiming to thoughtfully contribute to Colorado’s unique and dynamic neighborhoods and mountain landscapes. Mosenthal takes on only a few projects at a time and works closely and collaboratively with her clients to explore and understand the zoning/parameters of their site, various design and siting options and potentials, and after discussions related to the homeowners’ aesthetic and desired living patterns and vision for the home, different design options that create a seamless living experience while exploring different stylistic options that respond to the home’s surrounding neighborhood, site, and precedents that resonate with the homeowner.
NEXT STEPS
With competitive fees and a client-focused, design-forward approach, we look forward to learning more about your project needs and the potential of collaborating to realize your design aspirations. CONTACT beth@c1architectureanddesign.com
IN PROGRESS
LAKEWOOD HISTORIC MID-MOD RENOVATION
8420 West 5 th place|
SCHEMATIC DESIGN MEETING 1
Built in 1968 by local acclaimed architect Alan Golin Gass, the new homeowners of this historically significant mid-century modern home were eager to respect the character and important design elements of the home while updating/correcting an interim dated remodel in the 1980’s.
After speaking with Gass himself, C1 generated options related to creating a more open-concept kitchen/living experience with an aesthetic that is modern but considers the major design drivers of mid-century modern design.
This project is currently about to commence construction, and C1 has already begun working on a subsequent studies for phased renovations in other areas of the home. CONTEXT
CONTEXT
|
MID - CENTURY MODERN DESIGN MOVEMENT TENETS
CONCEPT (FIRST) - mid-century modern design tenets
FUNCTION-DRIVEN
Function driven Minimal ornamentation
ORNAMENTATION
lines, Geometric forms Contrasting materials/ color as accent Indoor/outdoor connection
FORMS
CONNECTION
IN PROGRESS
LAKEWOOD HISTORIC MID-MOD RENOVATION
EXISTING CONDITIONS |
8420 West 5 th place
• Horizontally oriented
• Ribbon windows, belt courses
• Hooded or deep set windows
• Large areas without windows
• Use of industrial materials like concrete
• Dramatic sculptural conception of building’s volumes
• No ornament
• Cantilevered eaves used as functional features
• Flat and shed roofs
-taken from historic Denver’s “Denver guide to mid-century homes”
EXISTING CONDITIONS / LIGHT STUDIES
Off
EXISTING FLOORPLAN
EXISTING KITCHEN
Bedroom
Bathroom
Living Room
Kitchen
Mudroom / Pantry
Garage
Stair
Exterior, Open-Air Courtyard
IN PROGRESS
LAKEWOOD HISTORIC MID-MOD RENOVATION
IN PROGRESS
ARVADA MASTER & LIVING ROOM ADDITION/RENOVATION
CONTEXT
A 1970’s ranch on a dynamic site adjacent to preserved open space needs a larger master bedroom/bathroom and an informal family room with an indoor/outdoor connection to support the needs and activities of a family of 6.
C1 explored many addition/renovation options that enhance the home’s connection to the stunning backyard and views while respectfully mediating the existing scale and character of the home.
After many iterations, the family decided upon an L-shaped, seamless addition that creates an enclosed connection and valuable utility, storage, and recreation space as well as a renovated kitchen and enlarged master with an en suite.
CONCEPT (FIRST) - 1970’s ranch home design considerations
GROUND-HUGGING
USE OF VERNACULAR MATERIALS
INTERIOR/EXTERIOR CONNECTION
OF PROGRAM ON ONE FLOOR/ FLOW OF SPACES
“ZONES”
IN PROGRESS ARVADA MASTER & LIVING ROOM ADDITION/RENOVATION
IN PROGRESS
ARVADA MASTER & LIVING ROOM ADDITION/RENOVATION
IN PROGRESS
NEW DETACHED ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT (ADU) WITH GARAGE & ART STUDIO
CONTEXT
A busy family of five in the Berkeley Neighborhood of Denver sought to build an ADU with a two-car garage, gear storage, and an art studio on the ground level and a one-bedroom apartment on the upper level .
The client sought to create a home that preserved the large, lush backyard while creating a cottage-like ADU with a porch that created additional space for entertaining and creative pursuits while creating a dialogue with the existing bungalow’s back porch.
After exploring many options, the client settled on a design that serves as a contemporary, edited translation of proportions and vernacular evident in the existing bungalow, including a strong gabled roof and overhanging rooves.
CONCEPT (FIRST) -Bungalow design considerations
LOW-RISE / 1.5 STORY
USE OF VERNACULAR MATERIALS
OVERHANGING ROOVES / PORCH ELEMENTS
NEW DETACHED ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT (ADU) WITH GARAGE & ART STUDIO
DESIGN
EXPLORATIONS / ITERATIONS
Upper Level
Garage/Studio Level
NEW DETACHED ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT (ADU) WITH GARAGE & ART STUDIO
Design Studies - Exterior and Interior
RECENTLY COMPLETED
BONNIE BRAE KITCHEN & BATHROOM RENOVATION
CONTEXT
A 1939 Colonial in Denver’s Bonnie Brae neighborhood needed to have its galvanized pipes replaced- and in the process, warranted the updating of a 1980’s kitchen and living room, creating an enlarged master and dedicated master closet, and replacing finishes and fixtures in the home’s two other bathrooms.
C1 was careful to be respectful of budget parameters and the home’s existing charm and vintage, while carefully eliminating walls or enlarging windows to bring in light in darker, more insular spaces of the home such as the kitchen. C1 selected finishes, fixtures, and cabinetry that will create a clean and timeless aesthetic that still matches the vintage of the home.
This project is currently under construction.
CONCEPT (FIRST) - Design Drivers for Updating a 1939 Colonial
Beth Mosenthal, AIA, LEED AP BD+C | Bonnie Brae Home Renovation | August 2021 2
Level 1 , Renovation Areas of Focus
Level 2 , Renovation Areas of Focus
1. Renovated kitchen with enlarged window
2. Renovated millwork - living room
3. Renovated dining room
1. Enlarged master bath
2. New master closet
3. Updated bathroom
RECENTLY COMPLETED
BONNIE BRAE KITCHEN & BATHROOM RENOVATION
UNDER CONSTRUCTION BEAR CREEK
POP-TOP
(design process / iterative option illustration)
CONTEXT
The new homeowners of a 1970’s ranch in Bear Creek adjacent to open space and with views to Red Rocks wanted to add a secondstory master suite to the home’s existing flat roof while reconsidering the home’s entry location, access to the basement, and overall interior layout.
C1 explored many different options for the second story addition, floorplan layouts, and new window / overall aesthetic. The clients, passionate about rehabbing homes and skilled in construction/remodeling, were inspired by the home’s references to mission and tudor home styles.
All options consider the concepts behind these styles while creating spaces that maximize the home’s views and access to the outdoors and pool deck.
CONCEPT (FIRST) - Tenets of TUDOR Style
STEEP ROOFS JETTIES/OVERHANGS
CONCEPT (FIRST) - Tenets of MISSION Style
ASYMMETRICAL FACADES
TALL WINDOWS/ GRID PATTERNS
ARCHED WINDOWS/DOORS LAYERED INTERIORS LACK OF EXTERIOR ORNAMENT
STUCCO
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
BEAR CREEK POP-TOP
Mountain / reservoir views
EXISTING FLOORPLAN EXISTING CONDITIONS
Bear Creek
Reisbeck Home Remodel 11019 W Bear Creek Drive
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
BEAR CREEK POP-TOP SELECTED OPTION
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
BEAR CREEK POP-TOP - alt. options explored
Dormer/gable
“Pavilion”
Shed Roof Addition (Maximize views)
Match Existing Rooflines
HAMPTONS CUSTOM HOME - “Daniels Lane House”
*completed while interning at James Merrell Architect in Sag Harbor, New York
CONCEPT/ CONTEXT
A custom home in the Hamptons on Long Island. The floorplan presents an “upside-down” arrangement to take advantage of ocean views and other scenic vistas.
Working as an intern for James Merrell Architects, based out of Sag Harbor, Beth from C1 worked on the planning, 3d modeling, design studies, and visualization of this home, completed in 2011.
COMMERCIAL INTERIORS
BRAZIL - EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM WORKPLACE
*completed while working at Gensler Chicago
It’s not the right angle that attracts me, nor the straight line—stiff, inflexible, created by men. What really attracts me is the free, sensual curve. The curve I see on the sinuous course of our rivers, on the clouds in the sky. The universe is entirely made of curves.
-Oscar Niemeyer
CONCEPT/ CONTEXT
While working at Gensler, the world’s largest architecture firm, Beth from C1 worked on many commercial interior projects across the globe. This project in São Paulo, Brazil draws inspiration an design concepts from the music and horizon lines of Brazil to create a warm, elegant work and meeting space for a high-end executive search firm.
Beth not only designed the interiors for the project, but the sculpture that is visible upon entry to the space.
MOUNTAINS
CITY
HORIZON
Given the critical role of popular music in national culture, it would be difficult to overemphasize the significance of bossa nova in the formation of contemporary Brazilian society.
-Albrecht Moreno
VOICE
GUITAR
BASS
COMMERCIAL INTERIORS
BRAZIL - EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM WORKPLACE
*completed while working at Gensler Chicago
Overall Floorplan Axonometric
Photography - Gensler
COMMERCIAL INTERIORS
BRAZIL - EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM WORKPLACE
*completed while working at Gensler Chicago
Photography - Gensler
Photo Credit: Fran Parente
COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION
DENVER - COMMERCIAL OFFICE BUILDING
*completed while working at Anderson Mason Dale Architects in Denver
CONCEPT/ CONTEXT
A new ground-up commercial office building employs a facade that is inspired by the existing billboards along the site - the Brighton Boulevard corridor in Denver’s riNo neighborhood.
Amenities such as a rooftop deck and industrial-yet-refined lobby with retail provide a modern office environment that also provides connection with the surrounding mixed-use neighborhood.
Existing billboard signage nearby
Conceptual Render -Facade as Billboard- Design Development
ACADEMIC/INSTITUTIONAL
GOLDEN - COORSTEK CENTER FOR APPLIED SCIENCE
*completed while working at Anderson Mason Dale Architects in Denver
CONCEPT/ CONTEXT
Guggenheim Hall
Guggenheim Hall
Arthur Lakes Library
Berthoud Hall
Site and Social Spaces
CoorsTek Center is a prominent campus landmark that serves as both a public forum on the first floor used as daily lounge as well as a gathering space for large events, with innovative classroom, laboratory, conference, and office spaces on the upper levels. The building is a state of the art example of how to create laboratory and public campus spaces that reinforce indoor/outdoor connections and appealing environments for students and faculty to spend large amounts of time conducting research and collaborating.
Kafadar
Mason Dale Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
View from Kafadar Commons, photo: Nic
Commons
Commons
The transparent north edge of CoorsTek’s main level connects to Kafadar Commons, reinforcing this iconic green as the emotional heart of campus.
An occupiable, formal garden, at the west edge, facing Berthoud Hall, will bring a softness and human scale to the shared zone between these two prominent campus buildings.
This sunny pocket plaza, oriented southward, strengthens connections to 16th Street and Alderson Hall.
This eastern plaza adjacent to Cheyenne and its density of students, is protected from the elements by the cantilevered active learning studio above
Marquez Hall
Marquez Hall
Alderson Hall
Hill Hall
Interior photos - Nic Lehoux, 2018
INTERDISCIPLINARY PURSUITS
PUBLIC SPEAKING & DESIGN WRITING
Former Columnist, CREJ “Building Dialogue” Magazine, quarterly
Contributing Writer, AIA Colorado
Former Senior Editor, AIA Young Architect’s Forum “Connection” e-zine (bi-monthly)
PUBLICATIONS
Contributing editorial writer, Archinect
Contributing writer, Modern in Denver -raising awareness of exemplary residential design in Denver
Design writing and the ability to be reflective about the evolving state of architecture and design locally and globally is important to C1’s evolution as a firm and progressive practice.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Beth from C1 is currently a member of the Denver Commission for Cultural Affairs and has used platforms such as TEDx to challenge people to utilize design thinking to create more inclusive, forward-thinking environments.
