In 2018, Denver reached a record $9.4 billion in new construction. That same year, the first new high-rise in more than 30 years was constructed at 1144 15th St. While construction volume reduced slightly in 2019, several additional tall buildings are under construction or in the city’s current planning pipeline.

As documented by the World Resources Institute Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, building production and operations emit 33% of the global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, making them the single biggest carbon emitter by sector, and emissions are expected to double by 2050.

When a developer is planning to build a for-sale or for-rent multifamily property, there are many cost-saving design-solutions that can be implemented from start to finish. Knowledgeable and experienced architects and planners know where to look for creative approaches that can shave substantial costs from a project’s bottom line and increase profits.

As interior designers, we are always searching for innovative and transformative ideas to make our project environments both efficient, adaptive and creative. But we must acknowledge that the solutions of yesterday, no matter how successful, may no longer apply to today’s use of space and how we need to work and live.

A common question I often hear from participants in design advisory groups is, “Why do architects wear black?” There are many theories on why architects dress like cat burglars. In reality, an architect’s role is not black and white; it spans the spectrum of the rainbow, where we commonly act as the unifier, facilitator and moderator of a larger collective to bring consensus to many.

Are you a buyout veteran yet? If the trend toward consolidation among architecture and engineering firms continues, any of us could face a sale or merger during our careers. I’ve witnessed the ebbs and flows of the architecture profession over the years. This recent trend of mergers and buyouts got me thinking about the multiple perspectives involved.

Recently I was given a gut check that seemed notable and worth sharing. It led to several questions those of us in design, development, construction, brokerage, etc., might consider. Do you remember why you got into your profession? Was it more exciting then or did it matter more to you in the beginning? Have you kept your inspiration or do you need to find it again? Have you kept balance?

In April 2018, work began on the transformation of one of Colorado’s most significant and symbolic mountain resort venues: Breckenridge Ski Resort’s original base area, Peak 8. Improvements had been ongoing for more than a decade, and the construction effort has culminated in an unprecedented ski-in, ski-out development that is providing visitors to the mountain town with a grand destination.

Colorado Mesa University’s hospitality program has enjoyed significant growth over the years and the university is preparing to open a “teaching hotel” during the first quarter of 2020 as a result. Davis Partnership Architects envisioned a unique materiality of the Hotel Maverick to set it apart. The hotel will boast a contemporary theme that integrates an ethos of the modern West.

This is the idea behind one of Denver’s newest mixed-use developments, Broadway Station. Located at the former Gates Rubber Co. plant site, the 41-acre development is advantageously located at the intersection of Interstate 25, Santa Fe Drive and South Broadway at Denver’s second busiest RTD light-rail stop and bus station.