eWise hires Venture Architecture

Venture Architecture will be designing over 6000 square feet of new office space for eWise in the heart of the Denver Tech Center. eWise provides online solutions for payment processing, financial management, and identity verification. With offices in the UK, USA, China and Australia, eWise has a reputation for developing innovative technology solutions that make transacting online easier and more secure. We look forward to making their venture in the Denver Tech Center successful with a smart design! 

New Venture project at the Colorado Center Annex

Venture Architecture has been retained by Lincoln Properties to assist by designing approximately 15,000 sf of spec office suites at the Colorado Center Annex. Keep up with this blog to see how the designs progress. Contact Mark Homlish at 303.893.1886 for any interest in these excellent office spaces.

More progress at the Harding & Shelton offices.

In this video Jason Dunnington, Communications Director  Harding & Shelton walks us through the progress at the office including new double glazed operable windows to match the historical facade. 

GreenSource highlights the work of Studio Gang

Recently, the GreenSource magazine website has posted several videos on the work of Studio Gang. 


One video is an excerpt from the Checkerboard Film Foundation's film on Chicago's Aqua Tower, completed in 2009. In it, Jeanne Gang, the founder of the architecture firm, discusses the process for constructing the unique residential skyscraper.


The other video depicts the construction of the South Pond Education Pavilion in Chicago's Lincoln Park. This remarkable structure is matched in its filming by Spirit of Space.


Time for a field trip to Chicago!

Progress at Harding and Shelton offices.

The brick has been tuck pointed, the windows are in, and every day more finish materials are arriving on site. As promised, we reveal more progress at the Harding and Shelton offices in Oklahoma City. This is an exciting time to be at the job site when work is steady and the finished space begins to take shape. We are expecting a December move in date.

Green Depot interactive store in Brooklyn.

The Green Depot store in Brooklyn was recently featured on GreenSource magazine's video section. Colin Brice of Mapos gives a tour of many innovations created to educate consumers about how the products sold there function and impact or improve the environment. Of particular interest is the light booth where customers can compare different low energy lighting options and how light temperature effects materials samples. Also, in the flooring area different products were installed underfoot to approximate real use situations.

3form Materials

Sometimes it's the perfect material that inspires and pulls together a design. When Venture Architecture was commissioned recently to design an intimate and interactive space, our stash of 3form samples was pulled out of storage. They evoke a feeling at once both old and new: somewhere between a fly caught in amber and a futuristic evening dress. 

The 3form website showcases some surprising applications including exterior cladding, library shelves, and even healthcare interiors.  

Harding & Shelton offices under construction.

The details are coming together in the corporate offices for a 30-year-old oil and gas company currently under construction in Oklahoma City. The offices are in an adaptive, mixed-use building in a historic district featuring great canal and downtown views. One of the many challenges of this project was preserving the character of the original building while providing the client with an impressive modern and functional space. In this video Venture Architecture partner Melissa Goldstein showcases some of the innovations our firm developed for the space.

Venture selected as architect for Aegis Business Services

Venture Architecture is excited to design a new space for Aegis Business Services as they relocate to the Dry Creek Corporate Center. We are working closely with the CEO and COO to fine tune the design. It must balance the needs of both their executive staff as well as their professional teams who have helped grow the business into a success story.

Architecture firms building more inclusive names

An article yesterday in the New York Times announced a name change for the 50-year-old firm Polshek Partnership to Ennead, which means a group of nine deities in Egyptian mythology. The article noted that the trend in architecture is to move away from names credited to the principals of a firm and toward a collective representation of all the ideas that go into designing a building. At Venture Architecture, where the best idea wins and each of us feels compelled to make the work we do great, we applaud this movement. We know that smart design is often a nexus of many elements.

Building Skin: First impression and functional beauty

In recent years, several existing Denver buildings in tight infill spaces have been given new exterior skins. One project of note designed by Gensler is the Pura Vida Spa building in Cherry Creek which formerly housed the Tattered Cover in a nondescript stucco low rise. Many architects around the country are exploring options "outside the (building) box" in both existing and new construction. The Gehry Partners' Beekman Tower recently profiled in Architectural Record and located in Lower Manhattan is a standard skyscraper shape made amazing with curving steel curtain walls. Jean Nouvel's 100 Eleventh Avenue, also in Manhattan, used tilted fixed and operable windows for their hybrid curtain wall that seems to shimmer on the skyline. Far from being simply eccentric, these buildings are attractive, highly functional and, as with the second skin on this remodeled home featured on the GreenSource website, can provide passive energy saving features.

Xcel Energy offers rebates on LED lighting

Recently Xcel Energy announced rebates for businesses looking to install LED, or light emitting diode, lighting for both retrofit and new construction applications. There is a separate program for small businesses. According to Xcel, up to 44% of a business utility bill is allocated to lighting and with an LED bulb using up to 3% of the energy of a standard incandescent and lasting about 66 times longer, the savings could be substantial. The rebate applications are very long and only certain manufacturers and models will qualify; however, this program seems like a great step forward in greater acceptance of more efficient lighting. 

Luxury apartments planned for LoHi neighborhood

A recent article at the Inside Real Estate New website reported that a new luxury apartment low rise is being built at 17th and Central. The building is across the street from the Highland pedestrian bridge linking downtown to the LoHi neighborhood. Ground floor retail space and 3500 square feet of office will further emphasize neighborhood walkability and density. The apartments are aimed at a higher-income renter in an area where few rental options are available. At a time when most downtown rentals are experiencing nearly 100 percent occupancies, the project is expected to be a great success. 

Venture Pitches Rec Center to City of Pueblo

The Pueblo Chieftain ran a front page article yesterday on Venture Architecture's presentation to the Pueblo City Council on Monday night.  At the City Council work session, Venture partner and architect, Martin Goldstein presented a video that showed the warehouse at 205 N. Elizabeth St. in Pueblo transformed into a modern recreational facility housing aquatics, fitness, and multi-use court/in-door field areas.  

Please take a look at some of our images of the potential future rec center, and read the Chieftain article, "Downtown Rec Center Pitched to Council".

B's Ballpark Museum in LoDo Opens

B's Ballpark Museum is officially open!  Next time you are in LoDo or going to a game at Coors Field, stop by 1940 Blake St. and see what Smithsonian Books calls, "one of the top 21 private baseball collections in the World." B's Ballpark Museum

Venture Architecture re-designed an existing retail level condo in an 110 year-old warehouse in Denver's LoDo Historic District for B's Ballpark Museum.  The space integrates a museum with a major collection of baseball park memorabilia and a new office suite for an accounting firm. 

First Comprehensive Zoning Overhaul Passed by City Council

Of the 60 or so citizens that showed up on Monday to speak for or against the new Denver City Zoning Code, those "for" and "against" were pretty evenly split.  The first Zoning Code overhaul since 1956 addresses issues such as disallowing multiplexes and duplexes in some neighborhoods.  It steers the City toward more growth and density along transit routes and established neighborhoods.  Check out this Denver Post article to learn more.

Featured Green Product: Flotender Grey Water Systems

Flotender Grey Water Systems use a sophisticated filtration system to recycle water from your shower, bath, and washing machine.  It's drip system waters your lawn and plants using recycled water, allowing for a 32% reduction in landscape water usage.  Learn more about Flotender here:  Flotender Grey Water Systems.  

ISH Trade Convention Showcases Bathroom Design, Green HVAC Technology

For anyone looking to further their knowledge of energy efficient heating and air-conditioning technology, renewable energy & bathroom design, and wanting to visit Frankfurt, Germany next year, consider the ISH Trade Convention on March 15-19, 2011.  The ISH concept is based on the "optimum combination of water and energy".  This trade conference has taken place for the past 50 years, and brings together over 2,400 manufacturers from all over the world to present new products and forward thinking solutions.  For more information, visit the ISH 2011 website.

Denver Awaits the History Colorado Center

The Colorado History Museum closed its doors at the end of March, but construction on the new History Colorado Center has been underway since August of last year.  The new 200,000 sf building in the Civic Center / Golden Triangle District of downtown Denver is scheduled to open in late 2011.


According to this August, 2009 press release, "Its architecture will evoke Colorado’s spirit: beautiful surroundings, diverse peoples and unique places. Its natural, native colors will reflect the vibrancy of the western landscape and its interior elements will include many open spaces using Colorado materials. 


The History Colorado Center, along with the new Ralph L. Carr Justice Complex, will be financed with the help of $338 million in Certificates of Participation, making it one of the nations largest Build America Bond projects.  Financing the two projects together will save over $200 million.

Rare Space Commercial Broker Shares Success Story

Denver commercial broker, Tanner Mason is featured in this Denver Business Journal article.   Mason got his start in commercial real estate in 2001, when the market was also experiencing a low.  Mason relates how, through hard work and building relationships, he gained success in the industry.  Mason is a partner and broker with Rare Space, Inc.

Commercial Real Estate Market Looking Up

According to this Denver Business Journal article, Metro Denver's commercial real estate market made a cautious but optimistic come back in the 1st quarter of 2010.  The market for office space has continued to improve steadily, with the average asking rate for rent only slightly lower than this time last year.

Landmark Preservation Commission Member Speaks On “The Preservation and Rehabilitation of Iraqi City Centers” Conference in Baghdad

Jeremy Wells, a Denver Historic District / Landmark Preservation architect will speak at the Webb Building at 201 W. Colfax, room 4.F.6. at noon on Monday, April 26th.  He will be showing video and audio from his recent trip to Iraq and discussing his participation in the conference, "The Preservation and Rehabilitation of Iraqi City Centers" and its relevance to Denver. This NY Times article provides more background on the six-day conference in Iraq, which was attended by 75 architects and city planners from the U.S. and other nations.  

Venture Architecture Joins ExecConnect

Venture Architecture is proud to announce its membership in ExecConnect.  ExecConnect is an exclusive Denver-based group comprised of community leaders and business owners from the private, non-profit, and public sectors.   To learn more visit the ExecConnect website.  ExecConnect is allied with Denver Bike Share, a new program that addresses transportation in downtown Denver. 

Doors Open Denver - April 17th & 18th

Doors Open Denver is an "annual celebration of Denver's built environment and design".  The two-day event is April 17th and 18th, and allows participants to take unguided or free guided walking tours of many of Denver's building, some of which are not typically open to the public.  This year's theme is "Denver Redux / Redo: Buildings with a Second Life".  The Event Headquarters are located at Union Station.

Check out the Doors Open Denver website for more information.

Architectural Record's 2010 Record Houses

Architectural Record's 2010 Record Houses were chosen on a criteria of, "simplicity, modesty, and sustainability, in keeping with today’s culture of restraint."  Check out the 7 finalists at Architectural Record's website.

Union Station: Preserving the Historic, Transforming Downtown

Publicized as, "the centerpiece of a new age of connectivity in the region", Union Station in downtown Denver will undergo an exciting mix of historic preservation and redevelopment over next several years.  The Union Station Neighborhood Co. website, www.unionstationdenver.com, showcases some amazing architectural renderings of "the vision", and includes a section on "the details" and "the timeline".

Plans for development to the existing site include the addition of open air courtyards for dining and relaxing, and a train hall that will accommodate up to 10,000 people in an hour.  The train hall, an arched structure with a transparent canopy, is designed to allow the historical station to, "remain the focal point of Union Station Neighborhood with the train hall complimenting...but not overshadowing it.".  Stay connected to this ongoing project by visiting www.denverunionstation.org.

Sweets Network Features Green Products

The Sweets Network, which features green building and design products, recommends Rockwood Manufacturing's stainless steel door pulls and hardware.  Rockwood products are made from 75% post-industrial waste, are 100% recyclable, and can be refinished to their original appearance at any time to eliminate hardware replacement.  We have been interested in using Rockwood for one of our current projects, corporate offices for a 30 year-old oil and gas company in an historic building.  Check out more green products at Sweets.com.

Sustainable & Innovative Aqua Tower Adds to Chicago Skyline

The Aqua Tower, a new 82-story building in Chicago's downtown, was featured on the January/February cover of Greensource Magagzine.  Designed by Jeanne Gang, along with Magellan Development Group, this residential and hotel tower is making headlines for both its sustainability and its innovation.  Sustainable practices were incorporated throughout the building process, and design features such as a 3rd-story podium park, a public electric car charging station in the underground garage, and curving balconies which shield sunlight, have made the tower eligible for LEED status.  The Aqua Tower, shows an innovative design in that both the footprint and the floorplans of the interior spaces remain rectilinear, unlike its predecessors, Bertrand Goldberg's twin cylinders of Marina City.  The curved exterior is achieved through the swerving concrete balconies.  Check out the photo gallery and article in Greensource. 

Three Concepts for 16th Street Mall Re-design

The Downtown Denver Partnership has released three concepts for the re-design of the 16th Street Mall in Denver.  The concepts can be seen here: "Current Urban Design Plan Details".  You can stay up to date on the 16th Street Mall improvements at the "16th Street Plan" website. As a member of the Downtown Denver Partnership, Venture Architecture will keep our blog updated as the design and improvements to the 16th Street Mall progress.

Hickenlooper: 'Community Investment Good for Business'

"Strategic community investment ultimately is good for business", says Mayor John Hickenlooper in this video found on our client, dovetail solutions' website.  The Mayor mentions Exec Connect, a local group comprised of leaders from the private, non-profit, and public sectors, as an example of how partnering with the community leads to both personal and professional rewards.  Exec Connect has recently allied with Denver Bike Share to work towards the goal of "changing the culture of transportation in Denver".  Click here to learn more about Exec Connect.

Denver Home Prices Up

According to the Denver Post article, "Metro Home Prices Soar in January", home prices in the Denver Metro area are up 16% from one year ago.  This indicator of the economy's growing confidence and recovery are good to see.  Here at Venture, we are staying busy with two new project so far in 2010!

Venture Designs New Qwest Building in Pueblo

Venture has teamed up with Qwest to provide "ground-up" design services for a new 10,000 sf building in Pueblo.  We worked with brokers, Coldwell Banker and Grub Ellis to secure the project.  Our design package includes an architectural site layout and coordination with civil and landscape engineers, core and shell design, pricing coordination with the general contractor, selection of interior finishes, and permit and construction documentation.  Our design is currently being reviewed by the City of Pueblo.  Check back soon for updates on this exciting project!

Venture Website Has New Project Pages

Visit the Venture Architecture website to see some of our recent work:  Venture Architecture Project Pages.  We are very excited to share these projects with you!

B's Ballpark Museum

Here are the latest photos from B's Ballpark Museum!  Venture Architecture re-designed an existing retail level condo in an 110 year-old warehouse in Denver's LoDo Historic District.  The space integrates a museum with a major collection of baseball park memorabilia and a new office suite for an accounting firm.  Stop by to see the Museum at 1940 Blake St. Check the B's Ballpark Museum website for info on the Museum's opening day!

New Denver Zoning Code Public Review Draft

The final draft of Denver's new Zoning Code was released to the public this week.  It can be found at www.NewCodeDenver.org.  The Denver Planning Board will hold a public hearing on February 17th.  Prior to the hearing, staff from Denver Community Planning and Development will hold "office hours" on February 9th from 3pm-5pm and February 11 from 11am-2pm at the Webb Municipal Building.

Dovetail Solutions Office Remodel Completed

We are happy to share photos from the completed tenant improvements for Dovetail Solutions offices.  Dovetail Solutions is an amazing PR firm with offices in Denver's LoDo Historic District.  Venture Architecture was hired to design tenant improvements including a new lighting scheme, and select interior finishes such as paint, carpet, and millwork.

Welcome to Our Newest Client, Alpha Sleep

We are very excited to begin working with Alpha Sleep, our newest client.  Currently operating 4 locations in and around the Denver Metro area, Alpha Sleep is a diagnostic center that performs sleep studies to help people with sleeping disorders.  Visit the Alpha Sleep website at: www.alphasleep.com.  We would like to thank Alpha Sleep for choosing Venture Architecture!

Kansas Rebuilding Green

Greensource magazine showcases a Studio 804 home built in tornado-ravaged Greensburg, Kansas in its November 2009 Best Green Houses.  The rectilinear design, which resembles a barn, along with the absence of northern facing windows minimizes exposure to wind.  The use of passive-design techniques, solar and wind energy implements that will produce more energy than the home uses, and use of locally reclaimed building materials will make it the first LEED-for-homes project in the Kansas City Metro area.