University of Colorado Denver School of Architecture 2nd Floor Renovations
A collaborative partnership to create modern spaces that support the academic needs of the 21st Century architecture and planning student.
Client
University of Colorado
Project Size
22,000 sf
Awards
AIA Denver, Award of Merit
AIA Colorado, Interior Architecture Award of Citation
Professional Services
Architecture
Interior Design
Lighting Design
With the announcement that CU Denver’s campus was to house a full undergraduate and graduate curriculum, it became clear to school officials that the existing facilities would not be able to adequately accommodate the necessary program requirements for a contemporary collegiate program in architecture. This was reinforced by the fact that the existing building was obsolete, and desperately in need of significant renovation in mechanical and electrical systems to bring the structure up to current sustainable and code standards.
A great architectural and planning education must not be restrained by the quality of space. A collaborative partnership was developed to find creative solutions for the second-floor renovation project, one that will accommodate all incoming freshmen students in 2015, with construction occurring only during summer break to prevent any class disruptions. While challenging to renovate an existing facility, the project offered opportunities to envision new spaces for learning, expressing the legacy and prominence of the university as inspiration, while offering modern spaces that support the academic needs of the 21st Century architecture and planning student.
I cannot find enough words to thank you for the award winning design for our second floor. You found exactly the right image of an urban loft for an urban design school. I know that the quality of your design is already serving as a recruiting tool for us, and it has instilled terrific pride in everyone including me as the physical expression of a school fast rising to prominence. I do not tire of telling of telling everyone that the Chancellor would like to have this repeated throughout the university!
