Beam me up! When I think of Colorado (my adopted home state), I think of mountains, skiing, and the infamous Spaceship House. I have been in love with this beauty since I first laid eyes on her back in 2001.

While some claim the private residence to be downright ugly (Forbes magazine!) I think the house is absolutely captivating. And its mountain perch is the perfect setting for this UFO-esque thing.

Located just west of Denver in Genesee Colorado, The Sculptured House – its official name – is visible to passing motorists heading west on Interstate 70.

If you live in Colorado, you know this house. If you are a Woody Allen movie buff, you will also know this house from its appearance in the quirky 1973 sci-fi comedy Sleeper.

Indeed, science fiction and comedy collide in this one-of-a-kind Colorado landmark built in 1963 by architect Charles Deaton. Locals have long referred to the structure as the “Flying Saucer House”.

Here’s a rare photo of the shell being constructed in the early ’60’s:

Interestingly, Charles Deaton also designed several sports stadiums in the US including Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium.

The architect described his inspiration for the home in this way:

On Genesee Mountain I found a high point of land where I could stand and feel the great reaches of the Earth. I wanted the shape of it to sing an unencumbered song. – Chalres Deaton

While Deaton was the imagination behind the design, a company called Delzell Inc. was the ambitious builder of the home. Unfortunately, the company’s owners ran out of money before the project was complete. The interior of The Sculptured House was left unfinished for almost 3 decades until a Denver based developer bought the house in 1999. He had Charles Deaton design a large addition and hired Deaton’s daughter Charlee to finish the interior design. It was completed in 2003.

The home was sold again in 2006, but by 2010, the new owner had become delinquent on the mortgage and the property went into foreclosure. It sold at auction in November 2010 for $1.5 million

The entire home has five levels – 7,700 square feet – with 5 bedrooms and 5 baths.

On the top level is an awe-inspiring master suite.

The windows! The VIEWS!

It is probably the most iconic architectural landmark in Colorado, and certainly one of the most beautiful homes in a sea of atrociously expensive ski McMansions.

Personally, I’ve always thought it looked like a giant smiling clam…. the Cheshire Cat smile of architecture.

The big flip of the finger, wink and a nod.

Sources:

ImFromDenver.com

Wikipedia Sculptured House

Roadside America

DenverPost.com article

Check out another odd movie house in a spectacular setting that I profiled a while ago: Casa Malaparte