Madera21 in Santiago, Chile has published an article on our Boulder Retreat project. Enjoy it in Spanish or English. Click HERE to check it out.
3 Margaritas is open.
After 9 months of hard work, 3 Margaritas is open and serving tasty Mexican food and refreshing margaritas. Come on by and forget your troubles for a few minutes.
we are in Redfin!
re:architecture has been published in a blog in Redfin. Check it out HERE
We provided our perspective on maximizing space in smaller or constrained settings. This is especially important in this time of Covid-19 when so many are needing to spend more time at home.
To optimize space one of the best design strategies is to create indoor/outdoor spaces that expand the usable area with areas like courtyards, patios, and decks. Another key approach is to limit the number of internal walls to create a wide-open space that has an open feel optimally directly connected to the outdoors. Using a lot of glass strategically placed to focus views creates abundant natural light and makes constrained spaces feel larger and more open
Below is an example of this in our urban villa in Boulder.
Design Review at the University of Colorado
Last summer marked the end of my 5-year tenure on the University of Colorado Design Review Board. It has been a fascinating journey with talented colleagues. On a monthly basis, we had the chance to explore the role that architecture and landscape has to define the identity of each of the campuses and shape their future while understanding the past and present.
courtyards at CU Boulder
During that time we met monthly to review all buildings, landscapes, and master plans for the four campuses of the University: Boulder, Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus and Colorado Springs. I had the chance to review several billions of dollars of project and a wide range of types from major additions to the stadium in Boulder, a sports field on a parking garage at UCCS, student housing, lab and research buildings, a new Recycling Center, performing arts center, monument signage, dining halls, administrative buildings, bridges, and just about everything in between!
I feel honored to have had the chance to touch and influence such a diversity of projects and by so doing contribute to the conversation about the nature of each of these campuses. It was also a chance to explore the nature of Design Review: what is its role? How to make it effective in the context of talented staff and design teams? How to balance review with schedule and budget concerns and influence the outcome in a way that is effective and positive? Each campus has a very different identity and these questions varied for each project but I also observed a few common themes.
CU Boulder
Boulder, as the oldest “flagship campus” represents historical continuity and the key concern on the main campus is how and where to honor the beauty of the traditional campus. New buildings on the core campus though have very different responsibilities than those built on the east campus or Williams Village. A dilemma for building on the main campus is the relationship between the historic Klauder architecture and the new buildings given especially the difference in scale. New campus buildings are much bigger and more specialized than those built in the time of Klauder. In the early days of the campus there were academic, residential, and recreational buildings with little differentiation beyond this. Indeed some of the best spaces were the courtyards framed by colonnades and simple small-scale buildings. Now of course there are highly specific lab buildings, LEED Gold requirements, large multi-venue dining centers, and projects at a significantly larger scale than ever anticipated.
The Center for Community is much larger than the older buildings but replicates materials, details, and form of the smaller buildings.
Most new buildings on the campus still use the traditional sandstone, copper gutters, stone copings, and tile roofs but selectively new materials have been introduced to place the buildings in a contemporary context. Is that honoring Klauder? How can the new buildings be “of their time and place”, reflect new progressive values of open-ness and interdisciplinary learning, be built for a 100 year time-frame, support cutting edge sustainable strategies yet still respect the historic campus? Should every building be equally respectful of the past? We grappled with these questions on each project on the main campus and arrived at different answers depending on the program, context, and design intent.
The Engineering Center at CU Boulder: An early attempt to re-imagine the campus vernacular in a modern way
Another difficult challenge is the scale of the new buildings. The most charming aspect of the old campus to me is the interconnected public realm – the courtyards, walkways, and plazas that have been very difficult to reproduce with the large new buildings. Some projects have tried some innovative approaches to address this but this remains one of the more problematic aspects on the main campus. Each new building addresses these questions in a unique way but I believe a more intentional strategy could help the urban design and architectural language of the main campus move more gracefully into the future. I also believe that it is not enough to just paste the original details on these new large specialized buildings. It is time for a re-consideration about how to honor context but address the differences between these very different conditions. While some buildings have tried a gentle re-consideration like the new Art Building others have lost the scale and complexity of the main campus.
The East Campus provides a unique opportunity to strike out in a new direction from the historic main campus. Given the fact than many of the new buildings will be large-scale technical buildings like the new Aerospace Engineering Building, there is an imperative to define the architecture and public realm in a new way while defining the setting to be uniquely “CU Boulder”. The character of the public spaces and quads, the mix of uses, the building form and materiality and the relationship to nature can be defined in a contemporary way that celebrates the advances in new ways of thinking about these issues especially around the issues of sustainability. This can give the East Campus a new identity where innovation and cutting edge research is celebrated and made more evident. It will be exciting to see how this emerges.
UCCS
The New Ent Performing Arts Center at UCCS. A new architectural direction to highlight the arts. This breaks from the Campus Vernacular. (Se
Pikes Peak is always in view at UCCS
In contrast to CU Boulder, the campus in Colorado Springs has a stronger connection to the natural world and a much more contemporary architectural heritage. The sites are marked by extreme grade changes and near and far views of the mountains including the iconic Pikes Peak. The new Ent Center for Performing Arts demonstrates an approach to creating a very contemporary architectural approach as a unique “foreground building” while the new Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center demonstrates an approach to respecting the campus vernacular in an unflinchingly contemporary way. Without an older campus building tradition like Boulder, the new campus architecture can create a distinct identity and sense of place that respects the landscape and reflects the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit that defines UCCS. The challenge is how to address the car-oriented context and the fact that the campus is so spread out. While the spine organizes the central campus, given the entire campus scale, pedestrian connection ares harder to achieve especially between the buildings. New forms of mobility, bike sharing, extending the spine, transit, etc will have a big impact on the relationship between buildings, their access and entries, and how they address the site. Another question is how to move the materiality and the architectural language of the older buildings - given their more recent pedigree - into a more contemporary approach. It is not in the campus’ benefit to freeze this style or to make it too precious.
The context of downtown gives CU Denver a unique character
Anschutz Medical Campus and CU Denver
Anschutz is different again forging an academic environment in an area dominated by large hospitals and research campuses. Right sizing and activating the public spaces given the large building sizes creating both architectural continuity and individual identity will be unique challenges.
CU Denver has its own challenges with forging an identity out of the Auraria campus as the concept of neighborhoods on that campus continues to evolve. How does CU Denver forge a distinct architectural vocabulary from the other institutions and have a well defined public realm belonging to CU? New opportunities are emerging at the west end of campus so the idea of “CU in the City” can be re-considered in the context of the evolving city. The architectural language and character of this evolving campus will give this most urban campus of the CU system a unique character. It is moving beyond the business park pedigree of the Auraria campus to stake out a new CU identity.
The Design Review Board tackled these broad concerns at all the campuses. As is evident, each campus has very different questions and issues. But I think there is a common thread in terms of both design review process and the resultant buildings throughout the CU system that is independent of the campus. On a future blog I will look at the design review process and its pros and cons from this experience and my 18 years of design review at the Belmar Development in Lakewood (the Architectural Control Committee). I will conclude this post though with some ideas about common principles for building on all the CU campuses.
What make a CU Building?
A classic definition of architectural quality is “a building is of its time and place”. This is a good place to start to define quality for the buildings of CU whether a music building on the historic CU Campus or a new cutting edge lab building at the Anschutz Medical Center. The buildings should contribute to the legacy of the campus by both fitting in but being memorable and delightful in some way; this includes understanding their role as foreground or background buildings.
The new Individualized Health/Behavioral Science Building at Anschutz Medical Center. An architectural language tied to contemporary materials, the site and sustainability. (ZGF/AMD)
They need to contribute to an exquisite public realm by understanding and contributing to the urban design of each campus: scale, relationship, connections, and the making of public spaces. Given the outstanding climate of Colorado, each building can foster a relationship between inside and outside and contribute to the making of great outdoor spaces. Sustainability should be fundamental to the design approach to demonstrate a commitment to an environmental legacy as well. Similarly accessibility should be central to the approach. And it is important that each project be built to last for 100 years; the most sustainable approach is one of longevity. On this note, striving for a “looser fit” between the design and use is desirable to allow the buildings to evolve over time. This is especially difficult with specialized lab or residential buildings but a thought towards how the building might function with a different use is a useful consideration.
I think the buildings should also reflect the values of the University of Colorado: open-ness, innovation, diversity, respect, and excellence. To that end, I think it is essential to be both respectful of a campus tradition and confident enough to move that tradition forward with new emerging ideas. This makes a balance between “time and place”, honoring the past, expressing the present and designing for the future. That can continue to help define the unique campuses of CU and foster a culture and expectation of design excellence for the built environment. More discussion is needed to explore the principles that define excellence but hopefully this adds to that conversation.
Presentation/Discussion on Design in Boulder
I hope you can come to a presentation/panel discussion on design challenges in Boulder that I will be moderating on Wednesday night 10/10 to at the Canyon Theater at the Boulder Public Library 5:30-8 pm put on by the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art and AIA Colorado.
click here for more info
Also a great article by the keynote presenter Christopher Hawthorne is here
Harley in fall issue of Modern in Denver!
We are excited to share that our transformation of the the Harley Davidson dealership in Parker, Colorado is featured in the current issue of Modern in Denver. Give it a read HERE
We have moved to Denver!
re:architecture has moved our studio to the historic Granite Building at 15th and Larimer in downtown Denver. We will still be active working in Boulder County but will also focus on expanding our work to the dynamic Denver market. We are excited to be in this unique building built in 1882. See this link on the history of the building.
Center - activism and inspiration
Colorado Public Radio recently did an incredible series on Center, Colorado. The series highlighted this small town located in the heart of the San Luis Valley and the long time conflicts between the Hispanic community and the Anglos. The town is in the center of the potatoe industry and has a long history of agricultural production. It is an incredible story of social action, a fight for rights, and the complexity of the ongoing struggle between the farm owners and the workers and the clash of cultures.
I was fortunate enough to work recently on the childcare center; my clients were many of the community activists features in the podcast. The center called La Frontera had been an important place for the Hispanic community
Click here for Part 1 of the Podcast
Click here for Part 2 of the Podcast
Several years ago the original building burned down and we had the opportunity to help the center reimagine how it worked. An important discovery was that the kitchen was at the center of everything since for many of the young children this was their best meal of the day. Given the central role of food and cooking in Hispanic culture this was a special part of the culture of La Frontera. We were also able to put the main room for the community center right on Main St and provide a better flow for dropping off students and connecting to the playground.
It was inspiring working with this incredible group of educators and activists who made such a difference in their community.
Carbon and Materials
A really interesting infographic showing clearly the "costs" of different materials. A note to ourselves as architects on a great way to prioritize material selections!
Civic Area Park opens
It is exciting to see the park at the Boulder Civic Area open and active after years of planning and design. It is an engaging and dynamic space that encourages discovery of the creek, quiet reflection and gathering of all sizes. The bridge creates a strong central element for organization and way-finding. It was great to work with Erik Prince of Tom Leader and Brian Dale of Sort Studio on the overall planning, urban design and the bridge.
playing in the central green
the bridge has a strong presence at the creek
under the bridge
the park filtered through the laser cut pattern on the bridge
Denver - design?!
The imperative for good design is especially critical now! Collages of brick and stucco color and too many design moves create chaos - not visual interest. What is the right balance?
I went to an engaging presentation last week at the Denver Art Museum facilitated by ULI about raising the bar for design in Denver. There was much discussion about the pace of development in the region and how we are building the city NOW. This creates a particular urgency to build with quality given the changes that are occurring in all of Denver's neighborhoods. But what is quality? Who decides? What is good design? Isn't it just all subjective anyway?
Brad Buchanan, the City's Planning Director rightly put much of the blame on the applicants - the developers and architects who are creating the new projects. I agree with this and feel we must put the responsibility on architects (and their clients) to raise the bar. We can educate and lead our clients, the community, and the city to expect, demand, and desire compelling design. It is the architect's job to balance the competing interests of any project and show the way forward to excellence. We can help create a design culture in the city where there becomes an expectation of design excellence.
Which of course can lead to Design Review. In the ULI event this was mentioned as one solution to help in, Brad's words, "avoids the D's and F's". As a member of the University of Colorado Design Review Board and longtime member of the Belmar Review Board (Architectural Control Committee) I have had some experience with this. Design Review can do more than avoid the worst. At its best it can be a high level peer review that provides an important critique of the work presented. A standing board knows the context better than the applicant and also know the history of the past, present and future projects in that district to create an important dialogue between sites that a single building architect may not have. Too often, the architect is focused on the multiple demands placed on her: budget, program, schedule, City requirements, etc. which can force a diluted focus on the design and the setting. Design Review can help re-focus a project on critical site-specific issues. This is especially true when there is a national chain (think hotel or senior living) involved. A big remaining question though is WHERE (and how) should Design Review be implemented.
This is a critical issue as the region grows. High quality design can be a silver lining for those wary (and weary) of growth. If we can use growth to make our cities and neighborhoods more beautiful, memorable, and inclusive then we can rightly say that it was worth it.
Mile High Harley in Parker Grand Opening
August 2017: The Harley Davidson Dealership we designed in Parker had its Grand Opening last weekend August 5. On August 3 was the Ribbon Breaking with a Harley riding through the ribbon, of course. It is exciting to see this new approach to transforming an old shopping center and use of parametric design to create a place that is truly unique and give the place a special identity associated with the freedom and experience of riding a Harley!
A Few Studies
November 2016: re:architecture is working with Mile High Early Childhood Center in Denver on a new strategic vision of their new home.
January 2017: re:architecture is working with the City of Boulder to study options for a new market hall to activate the Civic Area in downtown Boulder.
Alpine Balsam - the beginning
It was a big week for the Alpine Balsam redevelopment with the City. Last Thursday we held our first public event and got lots of great ideas from the community form visions and big ideas to what people feel is both important to the neighborhood and missing. On Monday we had an Eco-District Charrette which had more than 80 people from City staff to boards and commissions to participants in the Eco-District conference in Denver. Some great ideas were uncovered from this talented group. Eco-District is a powerful approach to sustainable neighborhoods. Unlike LEED it does not start with the answer but goes through a process to determine priorities and approaches to sustainability that are appropriate to a specific project. Importantly, includes equity as a critical component to the sustainability approach. Tuesday and Wednesday I attended the Eco-District conference in Denver with powerful presentations form around the country on some of the best practices and challenges to these approached. I was also inspired by the committment to integrate equity, sustainability and resilience that is at the heart of the eco-district philosophy. With these the Charrette and Community Visioning events completed, we have some incredible information to start a deeper conversation with the City and the neighborhood about a vision for the property and the district. I am excited to be collaborating with Mithun on this important City project. Stay tuned for the evolution.
Bohn Farm Approval
The Longmont City Council Approved the re-zoning of the Bohn Farm Project on Tuesday, May 24. The approval allows all the key aspects of the project to proceed including higher density housing, the non-residential space, the .85 acre park, which supports a 2 acre CSA farm on the property as well. The approval allows the project to move into the more detailed design phase. See this link for the article in the Daily Camera.
Brick!
This is an interesting project in Amsterdam that both respects and transforms a traditional setting. This would be provocative in places like downtown Boulder and LoDo in Denver that have a rich tradition of brick. click here for the YouTube Video.
Boulder Civic Area
The Boulder City Council reviewed the Civic Area work and the project is proceeding! The park should break ground in the summer. re:architecture completed a comprehensive analysis of the flood implications on re-development in the area. We discovered interesting opportunities to couple an attitude of resilience with approaches of redevelopment. The next steps include studying a new Market Hall for the East Bookend near the Teahouse which could be a transformative project for Boulder, building on our foodie culture and the success of the Farmer's Market. We are also assisting Tom Leader Studio of Berkeley on the design of the new 11th. St. Bridge.
Here is a link to the complete memo with our work: City Council Memo
APPROVED!!!
The City of Boulder Planning Board approved the James Shared Use project last Thursday night 6-1. It was a momentous night after 14 months of hard work collaborating with our client Element Properties to create a true integration of community and design: where both support each other. The Board was very positive about the design and aspects of the project that will inject real diversity in to the downtown. Interestingly some on the board felt a more contemporary architectural approach was warranted given the location in opposition to the more historicist interpretation that the Boulder Design Advisory Board was championing. That will be on on-going discussion.
Visiting Villages
Here is a great list of 25 of the interesting villages to visit. Go to them all. Guess which one this is?? Link to Top 25 Villages article
bikes in the sky
the experience of being in the air and zooming through and over a place ... the bicycle highline! [video width="640" height="480" mp4="http://www.re-architecture.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/P1070329.mp4"][/video]
cykelslangen! Eight years in the making.
http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/jul/14/bike-lanes-bridge-copenhagen-new-cycle-snake-cykelslangen