Jason Elliott Portfolio

Jason Elliott Portfolio

1992 - 2004

“There is pride of accomplishment in the performance of whole tasks that can be held in the mind all at once, and contemplated as a whole once finished.”

From Shop Class As Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into The Value Of Work, by Matthew B. Crawford

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This project is perhaps my

favorite, as it neatly summarizes

my creative and technical skills

while also providing a simple

opportunity for implementing a

sustainable building philosophy.

And most important, it was built

for my family. It is a wonderful

place to relax after hiking,

climbing, skiing or fly fishing.

Although still a work in progress, it

provides basic shelter in a quiet,

beautiful corner of Colorado.

The cabin is located on 35 acres of

pinyon-juniper forest a few miles

north of Ridgway, Colorado. At an

altitude of 8,100 feet atop the Log

Hill Mesa, the property has

commanding views in all

directions.

The property is remote and

currently has no options for grid-

service electrical power. This

limitation, combined with a six-

hour drive from my primary Front

Range residence, challenged me to

build the cabin as efficiently as

possible. After installing the

foundation piers, I decided a pre-

fabricated approach was best, so I

calculated the dimensions of every

framing component and cut them

to size at home. I then loaded the

materials into a trailer, hauled

them to Ridgway and was able to

complete the framing and roofing

by myself in less than a week.

Later in the year I installed the

siding and a wood stove and we

were ready to stay in the cabin any

time of year.

Cabin - Ridgway, Colorado

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Ridgway Cabin

About fifty percent of the materials

used to build the cabin are

recycled in some way; many items

were saved from the dumpster

during the many remodeling

projects I have managed. The large

trapezoidal windows were salavged

and determined the roof pitch, the

siding is reclaimed redwood

decking and the corrugated steel is

100% recycled content.

The cabin is designed to accept

solar panels on the roof and is also

ready for a rainwater-harvesting

system.

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Unique Projects

Above: curved mahogany deck rail, Leesburg, Virginia

1. Teahouse, Middleburg, Virginia

2. Formal garden, Middleburg, Virginia

3. 19th century French stained glass doors, modified to create sliding window screens, Middleburg, Virginia

4. Hill School climbing wall, Middleburg, Virginia

5. Custom vanity sink, Leesburg, Virginia

6. Custom door, Upperville, Virginia

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2.

3.

4.

5.

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Unique Projects

Above: Loft ladder, Middleburg, Virginia

1. The Beverley Ann, a 58-foot catamaran, Annapolis, Maryland.

First placement in water.

2. The Beverley Ann, Annapolis, Maryland. 28-foot beam, 70-foot

main-mast, 55-foot mizzen.

3. Gazebo, Wye Mills, Maryland

1. 2.

3.

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RenovationLeesburg, Virginia

Before

Before

Before

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I have consistently served my clients with the highest level of craftsmanship

and quality in their homes. I have always attempted to provide an

alternative to the bigger-is-better approach that sacrifices quality,

substance and spirit of design.

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RenovationLeesburg, Virginia

Before

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New ConstructionMorrisonville, Virginia

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New ConstructionLeesburg, VirginiaDry Mill Road Development Project

Dry Mill Road Lot 4

Dry Mill Road Lot 2

Dry Mill Road Lot 1

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Indoor Riding ArenaMiddleburg, Virginia

Preliminary Elevations

Elevation Iteration

Built Arena Interior15

Details

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“A carpenter faces the accusation of his level... such standards have a universal

validity that is apparent to all, yet the discriminations made by the practioners of

an art respond also to aesthetic subtleties that may not be visible to the bystander.

Only a fellow journeyman is entitled to say “nicely done.”

It is in doing the job nicely that the tradesman puts his own stamp on it. His

individuality is thus expressed in an activity that, in answering to a shared world,

connects him to others: the customers he serves and other practioners of his art, who

are competent to recognize the peculiar excellence of his work.”

Matthew B. CrawfordShop Class As Soulcraft

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DeckEvergreen, Colorado

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Framing

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1. Quadripartite rib vaultDenver, Colorado

2. Timber trussEvergreen, Colorado

3. Timber trussEvergreen, Colorado

4. Roof overframeWye Mills, Maryland

5. Timber trussEvergreen, Colorado

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Drawings

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