Edge conditions are the boundary zones where most of what intrigues us happens; the beaches, the sunsets, of architecture. Like waves on a shoreline, the edge conditions ebb and flow and are in constant states of change; existing as neither land nor water, they are both and neither.

Since the economy rebounded from the Great Recession, rising construction costs have become a hot topic in the real estate community, particularly here in Colorado, where growth has outpaced the national average and it seems like a new building goes up every day. 

Millennials are out – centennials are in.  With the new generation of students comes a breadth of new research and a need for refining the approach to higher learning. As true digital natives, centennials are using technology less as a consumer and more as a pragmatic tool for communication.

You notice a thin white structure pouring down the side of a building and splashing to the ground like spilled milk. You smile and enter the alleyway. You turn a mysterious knob on the wall and are surprised to unlock the sounds of the Colorado Symphony. You enter the building to see a yarn-bombed tree and a gigantic wooden hand epitomizing hospitality.

Milo Ketchum Jr., the Lakewood-based engineering firm’s founder, was something of a renaissance man.  He was a pioneer in consulting engineering, educator, musician and sci-fi writer. Some of his work in the building trade reflected his future-leaning vision, like the arched Rainbo Bread building in Denver and a stylized TWA maintenance hangar in Kansas City. 

For decades the corner of 17th and Curtis streets in downtown Denver was nothing more than parking lot. It had an ATM. You probably parked there once or twice. I know I did. Well, like many lots that once inhabited downtown Denver, this one was destined for greater things as Denver’s building boom exploded. 

The massive 1,501-room hotel is joined by 485,000 square feet of convention center space and an extensive indoor/outdoor water park on a sprawling 85-acre site, just south of Denver International Airport. 

When designing a new client workspace, design teams give even the smallest details – from furniture stitching to drawer pulls – thoughtful consideration. However, one important aspect of office design is often overlooked to the detriment of both the client and employee: ergonomics. 

The next trend in urban place making is taking place in Downtown Denver as we push design boundaries on the Downtown Denver Partnership’s 5280 Loop project. Inspired in part by New York City’s High Line, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail and numerous European precedents, the 5280 Loop seeks to create a 5.280-mile linear park and “urban trail” to connect Denver’s unique and diverse center city neighborhoods celebrating their cherished character.

VibeTM is a new and disruptive boutique office property in the commercial office space sector emerging in the Denver community this year. Currently in three states with eight properties, the Vibe brand has been spreading rapidly across the country, with this most recent 2018 project marking the first Colorado location.