From the Slopes to the Studio: Professional Skier Turned Architect-in-the-Making

Link to Article: https://news.ucdenver.edu/from-the-slopes-to-the-studio-professional-skier-turned-architect-in-the-making/

Growing up in the mountain town of Winter Park, Hunter Carey’s life was all about skiing. So much so, that he became a professional skier at the age of 15, joined the U.S. Ski Team, and traveled the world for trainings and competitions. His talent in park and halfpipe, also known as freestyle skiing, earned him a silver medal in the Youth Olympics and three national championship titles.

Then, a head injury made him rethink his future. “I was training in Switzerland and took a hard crash and woke up in the hospital,” Carey recalled. “I have had many broken bones, but bones heal. Getting a serious head injury on the other hand made me rethink the dangers of what I do and if it was what I really wanted.”

When he turned 21, as the injuries continued to pile up and he started to feel burned out, Carey decided it was time for a big shift—and CU Denver offered just what he was looking for. “I wanted to be in Colorado because of the mountains, skiing, and family, and CU Denver had the architecture program,” said Carey, who will receive his bachelor’s in architecture at CU Denver’s commencement ceremony on May 17.

Fast Facts
Major: Architecture
Hometown: Winter Park, Colo.

Travels: As a professional skier, Carey traveled to Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, and China, among other global locations, for trainings and competitions.

Favorite Spot on Campus: Since joining CU Denver, Carey has found a new interest in rock climbing and enjoys spending time at the Lola & Rob Salazar Student Wellness Center’s rock-climbing wall.

Carey had started his higher education journey at Red Rocks Community College, so he could take a few college courses while still being able to get up to the High Country for skiing. But he transferred to CU Denver’s College of Architecture and Planning as his future plans started to develop. “I’ve always loved architecture and been very passionate about it,” he said, adding, “CU Denver’s architecture [program] is very unique in terms of the community.”

That community offered a strong sense of comradery with his classmates and opportunities for real-world projects that would fuel his future career goals—and the campus’ proximity to the mountains meant he could still ski about 40 days in the season. In the architecture program’s studio course, students have a designated desk for the semester located in a creative co-working space. “You bond with your cohort and really get to know each other and become best friends through architecture,” Carey said. “The diverse community in my studio [offered] a wide range of ages and different perspectives that you may not get at a different school.”


Those different perspectives have helped foster Carey’s inclusive approach to architecture. One of his favorite projects was based in southern Colorado, in a neighborhood that faced economic hardship and environmental challenges. “We were tasked with designing a project to help revitalize the neighborhood and help with unemployment problems,” Carey explained. “We designed a trade school that teaches residents new skills in construction and automotive industries.”

Carey’s love for learning about architecture will continue after commencement. He’s heading to the University of California, Berkeley, in the fall to get his master’s degree in architecture and hopes to someday join a firm that focuses on climate-friendly projects in underrepresented communities. “I’m really into climate justice and sustainability, and I want to bring that to everyone,” Carey said. “I want to make sustainability more accessible.”