The renovated Anabranch House opens the original stone home into a light-filled living space connected by a floating steel stair and continuous circulation.

ANABRANCH

Inspired by the natural phenomenon of an anabranch—the branching flow of a river—this Boulder renovation carves a new current of movement through a 100 year old stone house.

ANABRANCH-stair detail.jpg
A new living room opens beneath preserved timber beams and stone walls, where a reorganized circulation path reconnects the house through light, openness, and continuous movement.

Inspired by the natural phenomenon of an anabranch—the branching flow of a river—this Boulder renovation carves a new current of movement through a 100 year old stone house.

The natural phenomenon of an anabranch—a river branching into multiple channels before rejoining downstream—inspired the new organization of the house.
Before-and-after floor plans reveal how removing walls and relocating key spaces created a continuous flow through the once fragmented interior.
A circulation diagram illustrates the new current of movement, connecting living, dining, kitchen, and private spaces into a coherent sequence.
Relocating the primary suite restored privacy while allowing daylight and circulation to flow naturally through the center of the home.
The original primary bedroom occupied the center of the house, disconnected from light, privacy, and the surrounding living spaces.
The relocated primary bedroom opens to natural light and direct outdoor access, creating a calm retreat connected to the rest of the home.
The renovation opened up every room to natural daylight.
The original kitchen isolated daily activity behind walls and limited the home's connection between cooking, dining, and gathering.
The redesigned kitchen becomes part of the home's continuous circulation, opening views across the living spaces while increasing light and functionality. It acts as a fulcrum the rest of the house circulates around.
A new interior window frames the living room and stair, visually reconnecting spaces that were once separated.
Before renovation, oversized walls and disconnected circulation limited daylight and divided the living room from the rest of the house.
Section studies guided the placement of the new stair, preserving the historic stone walls while creating an open vertical connection.

QUIET PHENOMENA

Quiet Phenomena icon inspired by branching river systems, informing circulation, interconnected spaces, and flexible residential architecture.

natural forces that shaped this project

Quiet Phenomena icon inspired by traces left in natural materials over time, influencing architecture that celebrates weathering and history.
Quiet Phenomena icon inspired by canyon landscapes, shaping narrow passages, vertical light, and dramatic spatial compression in architecture.
Quiet Phenomena icon representing the sun's energy as inspiration for passive solar architecture, daylight, and seasonal design in custom homes by AsOne Architecture.
Quiet Phenomena icon inspired by plants growing toward light, informing window placement, orientation, and natural daylight in custom homes.

Built in 1920 from local stream rock, the house was defined by disarray — rooms cut off from one another, circulation unclear, and the master bedroom stranded at the center with no sunlight or privacy. The renovation reimagines the interior as a continuous current, carving new pathways through the stone structure to connect living spaces and restore coherence.

An anabranch is a section of a river that breaks away from its main channel to form a new course before rejoining downstream — a natural act of divergence and renewal. The project takes its name from this idea: a new route of movement cut through solid ground, allowing light and air to circulate freely. A steel stair threads upward between heavy walls, anchoring the flow, while a modern fireplace and reworked kitchen complete the sequence, bringing direction and calm. Like the river itself, Anabranch transforms disconnection into continuity — a rediscovered current of openness within the old frame.

INFO

LOCATION Boulder, Colorado

TYPE Whole house remodel

STATUS Built

AREA 2,000 SF

DESIGN

ARCHITECTURE AsOne

INTERIORS AsOne

KITCHEN Residential Space Planning

STRUCTURAL Ascent Engineering

BUILDING SYSTEMS AsOne

LIGHTING AsOne

IMAGES

RENDERINGS AsOne

PHOTOGRAPHY David Lauer

CONSTRUCTION

BUILDER Jeff Davis Builders