House on the Falls

As a child, Eric Jacobsen was fascinated by what appeared to be a spooky old castle built on the edge of a cliff overlooking Bridal Veil Falls in Telluride, Colorado. The building actually contained both a hydroelectric generator that powered the silver mine below, as well as a summer house for the plant manager. But the mine closed in the 1970s, the generator was shut down and the property was allowed to fall into decay.

Coming back to Telluride as an adult, Jacobsen decided to renovate the house and the power plant. Although it was built as a summer home, for Jacobsen this is a year-round residence. In the winter the home is nearly impossible to reach (figure A). The road is blocked by deep snow, and there are also frequent avalanches. Jacobsen uses an aerial tramway to get in and out in the wintertime, dodging avalanches as he goes up the precipice (figure B). Even more amazing, Jacobsen and his partner Alessandra Nisco are raising an infant daughter up here.

Though living on the edge of a mountain can be difficult and cold in the winter, the house itself is spacious and comfortable, with plenty of room to entertain guests (figure C). Jacobsen restored its mountain lodge ambiance with the help of a resourceful carpenter who has mastered the art of doing high-quality yet economical work. He also created a nursery in the attic for his daughter, Soleil.

Nisco admits that the house is a dangerous place for a toddler, but she'll grow up appreciating hard work, simple pleasures and the beauty of nature. The house sits atop a functioning power plant that now supplies most of Telluride's power and much of Jacobsen's income. He rebuilt the generator (figure D) with parts he found in an old van at a junkyard. Jacobsen and Nisco even find the constant hum of the generator to be relaxing. For Jacobsen, living up on the edge is a very spiritual and gratifying life.