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DECEMBER 2017 \ BUILDING DIALOGUE \
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family – the clients, the culture are
really compelling.”
WhenDavis describes the firm’s port-
folio as “focused on diverse, impactful
design,” fellow principal Rick Petersen
agrees, adding, “Here there is diversity,
the opportunity to grow without limit
to have an impact on the community.”
While the firm has completed dozens
of noteworthy, award-winning projects
in its five decades, there are inevitably
favorites. Asked to share some of those
that best represent OZ, Davis, Tafoya
and Petersen discussed an eclectic list
of work that spans project types and
eras. A few of the more recent projects
/ OZ Architecture Spans Decades, Even the Globe /
OZ on OZ
Principals Kelly Davis, Rick Petersen and Tracy Tafoya share their thoughts on a
few of their favorite recent projects.
•
Platte Fifteen
– Denver. When complete, this five-story mixed-use
project will include the city’s first cross-laminated timber building.
With communal spaces, open layouts and a “pedestrian-friendly”
ground level, Davis explains that the artisanal construction tech-
nique was chosen to honor the modern craft movement and create a
“warm aesthetic within an environmental context.”
•
250 Columbine
– Denver. When it was built in 2015, this mixed-use
Cherry Creek development delivered one of the first new condomini-
ums in a decade. Its nearly 140,000 square feet of residential space
(71 units) are complemented by 30,000 sf of retail and a 90,000-sf,
eight-story office tower. Not only did the units sell out, but also re-
sales have set a new benchmark for pricing. Tafoya says the design
team, with client Western Development, worked hard to “understand
what people want to spend [their money] on, defining what is ap-
pealing now, not just to a wide demographic, but a design that will
also be timeless.”
•
The World Trade Center Denver
– Denver. This mixed-use development,
currently in construction, will bring new office, dining, retail, hospi-
tality and creative space choices in Denver’s bustling RiNo neighbor-
hood when it’s completed in 2019. Noting that OZ has an office and
11 completed projects in RiNo, Petersen describes the team’s design
as simultaneously a contextually appropriate building within “our
town and neighborhood” and a projection of Denver’s role as a cre-
ative, collaborative leader in the global arena.
•
McMurdo Station
– Antarctica. At nearly 60 years old, this sub-zero,
year-round campus with 160 acres and more than 100 buildings
required numerous upgrades for efficiency and overall living con-
ditions. Petersen, who has visited the site several times, describes
crafting a master plan and design for McMurdo as one of the most
fulfilling projects” imaginable, an opportunity to help “create com-
munity while supporting the mission of global science.” OZ’s master
plan centers on consolidating the 100-plus buildings into six (much
more efficient) modular prefabricated units; the design includes
amenities such as glassed-in conference rooms, lounge spaces and
open work areas. Tafoya was one of three staff members who made a
five-day site visit before starting the programming work. She says it
was a rare opportunity to see first-hand the very unique needs of the
250 people who choose to live in such inhospitable conditions year-
round in the name of science.
•
St. Vrain Community Hub
– Longmont. The 75,000-sf south wing facility
offers Boulder County residents access to multiple health care and
community services providers in one facility. Designed with sus-
tainability in mind, it incorporates numerous renewably and local-
ly sourced materials including an interior wall made of reclaimed
timber of a local church. Tafoya says the project distills the OZ value
of stewardship, functioning as a sort of public “living room,” an en-
ergized gathering place that both clients and employees want to be.
•
The Village at Northstar
– Lake Tahoe, California. With 127,000 sf of re-
tail and 320 residences, this complete redo was the first resort village
project to achieve LEED certification. Davis described the challenge of
developing a “completely new village” without losing sight of the his-
tory and environmental value of the noted ski resort. Completed in
phases about 10 years ago, this project represented a new high-water
mark that inspired future resort design improvements.
OPENING ART:
250 Columbine has become an iconic
part of the Cherry Creek skyline with
a tiered design that allows easy access
to private and shared outdoor spaces.
Courtesy JC Buck
TOP:
McMurdo Station in Antarctica is an
example of OZ’s global reach with a
local approach, both improving the
efficiency of scientific research and
the quality of life for those stationed
at the base.
MIDDLE LEFT:
Platte Fifteen is Denver’s first
commercial cross-laminated timber
building and will further activate
Denver’s dynamic LoHi neighborhood.
MIDDLE RIGHT:
As the nation’s first LEED certified
resort village, The Village at Northstar
in Lake Tahoe, California, is a beacon
of sustainability in OZ’s extensive
resort experience. Courtesy Vance Fox
Photography
BOTTOM:
The World Trade Center Denver
Development breaks the mold of the
typical World Trade Center design,
not just aesthetically but through
the interconnectivity of Denver, the
RiNo neighborhood, and the global
community.