The building blends into the landscape by “reconstructing” the hillside on which it is sited. The elongated floor plan is oriented outward, while large window apertures pop up along the roof. The architects chose a minimal palette of materials including weathered steel, concrete, glass and recycled snow fences. This makes the building seem like an extension of the landscape. Cooling is provided through passive thermal chimney strategies couple with high-performance glazing and mechanical systems.
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Besides offices, the building also features amenities such as fitness rooms, a living room, collaboration spaces, break areas, a bike room, locker rooms, a protected courtyard, porches and an outdoor amphitheater. In order to encourage interdepartmental exchange, the architects limited the vertical separation between spaces.
The project recently won 2014 design and honor awards from AIA Colorado, AIA Denver and AIA Portland. The AIA jury praised the project’s “stark simplicity and design restraint that led to a building that projects a strong vision that is carried from landscape to the interior finishes.”
+ Arch11
+ ZGF Architects
