We create an architecture that listens to place

01

/ About

An impeccable reputation for high-end residential design and client service

We believe the most important thing any designer can do is to simply listen.

Derek SkalkoPrincipal, 1 Friday Design

1 Friday Design is an Aspen, Colorado, residential architecture firm founded in 2003 and led by Derek Skalko. We design custom homes, restore and add to historic homes, and renovate and extend existing homes, from the Roaring Fork Valley and across Utah and the Intermountain West to Minnesota and the Midwest.

Every site asks for something different, and our work reflects it. At Sopris Mountain Ranch, a house settles into the land as three low lean-to forms that follow the mesa ridgelines. For a historic carriage house, we found a way to nearly triple the space by digging down, so the building keeps its height and its place on the street. In Aspen, our modern and Victorian restorations add room without crowding the original, and a backyard studio gets the same care as a landmark house.

We are a small studio, so Derek is at the table for every project, from the first sketch to the final walk-through. As our client, we ask you to take part from conceptual design and planning through construction administration and interior detailing, and we bring your builder and engineers in early so choices about the team, the materials and the budget are made together. Derek’s years on the Aspen Historic Preservation Commission, and his consulting for the City of Aspen on master planning, mean a historic project starts with someone who knows the approvals process inside and out.

Our expertise also adds value for other architects. Firms designing in Aspen from elsewhere bring us on as their local lead to collaborate on design and handle approvals, permitting and construction administration. Selldorf Architects, Guerin Glass, APD and Studio B have each brought us on to assist on projects in the Aspen area and exceed client expectations.

Welcome to 1 Friday Design.

02

/ Philosophy

Make it meaningful: every design process should start with this aspiration

We successfully answer the needs and desires of our clients today, and where they ultimately will be for years to come.

We create an architecture that listens to place. It responds. We are mindful of the environment in which we are working. How does the project tie into the geography of the area, the microclimate, the desires of end users and their concerns? What makes sense for one project may not make any sense on the next—perhaps even when they’re located within a stone’s throw of one another.

We understand this reality and believe the proof is in the project. A strong sense of place and purpose guides our approach. We design to the landscape, the environment and the specific demands of each project, every client. We strive for cost-effective and energy-conscious solutions and find beauty in balancing the needs of our clients with the needs of our time, where sustainability is an obligation, not an option.

Wayne Gretzky was once asked how he was capable of maintaining his level of success year after year with an almost effortless grace. He replied calmly, “I don’t play where the puck is, I play where the puck is going to be.”

Since our inception, we at 1 Friday Design have devoted ourselves to individual client needs. Thoughtful design encompasses a visual beauty as well as a strict and rigorous attention to detail and craft. We stress the importance of a sympathetic relationship between what we produce and the world in which it exists. We attribute a great amount of our early achievements to approaching every project with a philosophy similar to Gretzky’s approach to hockey, continually striving to reach beyond the present trends and cookie cutter mentality in what we create as designers.

03

/ Projects

Restored, reimagined or newly built, each one shaped by its place

04

/ Profile

Authentic in approach,
different by design.

Derek Skalko is driven by design—and by possibility. Since 2003, his vision of an award-winning, multi-disciplinary firm was set in motion, built from a single project that captured the imagination of his client and the design community at large. Today, this same passion has only grown stronger and manifested into a thriving residential design practice highly respected for its originality, innovation and seamless execution at all levels.

As Principal of 1 Friday Design, Skalko plays an essential part in every project, no matter the size or scope, infusing his authentic, hands-on approach from design concept to completion. His array of talents guide project teams to achieve excellence in everything they do.

Skalko’s formative years were spent in a small, rural town in Northern Minnesota, where a keen appreciation for a Scandinavian design sensibility and aesthetic were instilled. Early on, the mentoring direction of David Salmela proved instrumental in understanding the poetic possibilities of the built form; an inspiration that led him to embark on a collaborative architectural study between North Dakota State and Melbourne, Australia’s prestigious RMIT University.

Skalko then headed west to the calling of Scott Lindenau and Studio B Architects. There, Skalko learned how to run an effectual design practice during a time when Studio B was transforming from a local, Aspen-based studio to the preeminent contemporary architectural firm in Colorado. Running projects from concept to completion, most garnered coveted industry awards and recognition in prominent publications.

Skalko’s broad artistic influences including photography and his love of music continually generate new perspectives. Travels far and near also open him to new experiences, which he uses as kindling for his creative spark.

Outside of 1 Friday Design, Skalko has been an active community member serving on the Aspen Historical Preservation Commission, the Board of Directors for Theatre Aspen as well as an Aspen Art Museum Contemporary. In addition, he continues to consult on long-range process and master-planning design strategies for the City of Aspen.

Depending on the season, Skalko can be found on a tennis court or enjoying a powder day on any of Aspen’s four mountains. He claims the best thing about Aspen is simply enjoying life with his eternally understanding and supportive love, Jennifer.

05

/ Contact

Our Studio

PO BOX 7928 : ASPEN : COLORADO : 81612

We'd be excited to discuss your project.

(+01) 970 309 0695

General Enquiries

derek@1friday.com