CREJ

March 2018 \ BUILDING DIALOGUE \ 21 303.721.5800 bootsconstruction.com 4949 S. Syracuse St. Suite 450 Denver, CO 80237 B u i l d i n g R e l a t i o n s h i p s In the Details other key consideration of durability: building structures that people consider worthy of maintaining. The Egyptian pyramids were not just designed to last an eternity, they were designed to be awe-inspiring – to be a source of won- der and inspiration that would motivate humans to care for them for all eternity. Even though we no longer view them as a portal to immortality, we continue to respect the beauty and ingenuity of these ancient creations and preserve them. These pyramids are just one of many such examples of buildings surviving and, though their sol- id stone construction gave them an advantage, there are equally impressive and sustaining example made of wood, brick and plaster. Today, as Denver experiences the global trend of rural to urban migration and a strong job market that brings a period of rapid growth, are we creating places that people will want to take care of? Set aside the issues of durability, weathering and patina for a moment, and consider: What buildings crafted here in the last 10 years will people con- tinue to care about in the next 10 or 50 years, let alone 500 years. Has the building industry become a product of our consumer-driven culture, which often leans toward dis- posable and replaceable, rather than sustainable and time- less, products? Adding an element of care costs little, but does require a connection to the human element, adding meaning and purpose to each creation. One might argue that those structures that stand the test of time are often monuments or temples that were built with the greatest care and consideration, because they of- fered great meaning to the population; a symbol of beliefs and a connection to the divine. This is not always the case, however. In Yemen, a 500-year-old city of mud-brick struc- tures continues to stand and be utilized as housing for its residents. Those who built these “skyscrapers” chose ma- terials and location carefully while considering the needs of the residents they were building for. Five centuries of human care have allowed them to stand the test of time. Architecture that gives you pause is not a requirement in the building code, a zoning issue or a land use policy; it is a product of good design, an empathetic understanding of the users, and a built-in capacity for the users to own the work, change the work, and add their personal expres- sion into the work. The special sauce of lasting architec- ture is emotional resonance. I could argue that there are two ways in which signifi- cance emerges within a space: through how those who en- gage with it create a meaningful experience (e.g., through knick-knacks and interior decorations), and through the design itself (e.g., the quality of light in a minimalist chap- el). Once we release a building to its possessors, we no lon- ger have control over its effect on the world, but we can look to the future when designing and building structures. For our structures to endure, the quality of the design cannot be left only to codes, construction standards or In- sta-anything, but must be envisioned with an emotional connection to its people. Everything crumbles unless we take care of it. Those of us designing, building and form- ing tomorrow’s Denver must pause and take the time to create structures people will engage with and care about, today, tomorrow and, perhaps, even 500 years from now. \\