CREJ

66 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / March 2022 / CSU Spur / Ben Blanchard, AIA Principal, Anderson Mason Dale Architects Spur Terra – Urban Agriculture Located at the epicenter of the National Western Cen- ter’s transformational agribusiness redevelopment, An- derson Mason Dale Architects’ design of Spur Terra fur- thers CSU’s incredible programmatic mission of global impact in food and agriculture at the nexus of urban and rural communities, history and innovation. Terra inte- grates research, outreach and education into a single im- mersive environment, providing an interactive place for multigenerational visitors to learn from educators, re- searchers and industry partners. It celebrates and show- cases unparalleled opportunities for urban agriculture. Designed as an interconnected “discovery landscape,” science and technology are displayed openly to demonstrate approaches and methods to the community. Diverse programs as- sociated with food and agriculture tell the story of modern innovation while connecting visitors to where their food comes from. Educational spaces focus on experiential K-12 programming, and the Agricultural Discovery Cen- ter provides rich, interactive edu- cational exhibits for students of all ages. A teaching and culinary kitchen supports local small businesses, and food labs provide unique research op- portunities for small entrepreneurs in food product development. A series of outdoor garden and terrace spaces, both at ground level and on the rooftop, promote outdoor education and demon- stration, teaching community members how to safely grow, prepare and cook their food. The building will feature several one- of-a-kind agricultural environments: service laboratories for plant and soil testing, controlled-environment grow chambers and the transparent, gabled rooftop green- house visible from I-70. Sited at the primary gateway to the Spur campus, Ter- Julie Zurakowski, AIA Senior Associate, Anderson Mason Dale Architects Spur Terra is an active year-round public destination that inte- grates research, outreach, and education into a single immersive environment. Textured wheat- and barley-toned brick masonry and glass fiber-reinforced concrete panels ground the building and express agricultural patterns and hues.