What is an Arete?

A question I've received recently has been, "Why did you choose Arete Inspired as your business name and what does it mean?" I have always been a lover of nature and the outdoors. Hiking, camping, and backpacking are some of my favorite things to do in my free time. I always find solitude and rejuvenation when in nature and especially in the mountains.

Arete has two pronunciations and two meanings, one being the sharp knife-like ridge line of a mountain formed by glaciers. This pronunciation is Ah-rat. The second pronunciation is Ah-rah-tay and comes from Greek meaning, "a virtue of quality," which is something that I always strive for with all of my designs and built projects. No matter how you pronounce it, either meaning is one that I can personally relate to. 

Frank Lloyd Wright has been an influence on my approach to architecture. What he called "organic architecture" is about respecting the sense of place and drawing upon the intrinsic geometries of that specific place to create architecture. FLW taught his students not to place architecture on top of a hill or mountain because it would compete with the horizon. He designed his home in Wisconsin just below the ridge line of the rolling hills and named it Taliesin which is Welsh for "shining brow". He found that placing the house below the top of the hill complemented the landscape and preserved the horizon. I am moved by nature and seek inspiration from the beauty of a specific place. 

Combining my love of climbing along the ridge lines of mountains and my respect of nature and using it to influence my architecture is why I chose Arete Inspired as my business name. I love the simplicity of the design of my logo with inspiration from the Arete of Nokhu Crags and a nod to Fort Collins Horsetooth mountain.