The challenge here is combining large and varied programmatic elements into a tight space and adhering to the very specific Lower Downtown (LoDo) Historic District design guidelines: Retail, theaters, a media center, and an aquatic center needing 50,000 square feet of gross floor space on a ground footprint of 120'x150'.​ Then, creating sufficient space for circulation and services. LoDo's historic district ordinance includes zoning that restricts building height and encourages mixed-use development. It stipulates strict design guidelines for rehabilitation and new construction.

​

In Art as Architecture I tried to immerse myself within the site context in order to create a visceral response that I could then translate using drawings. I had become interested in the idea of how design becomes "lost in translation" and I was convinced that the most efficient way to communicate design ideas of the mind while trying to preserve the original idea was through sketching.  

​

"The seeds building is wonderfully distinct and should be emphasized and encouraged. Activating the alley here, and using the seeds building as a marker is very strong..." This is an example how I thought about context and the drawings you see in the portfolio, plus dozens of others, are resultant of this thinking. I used the drawings in plan, section, and elevation to try and create a completely original design developed strictly as result of its place in the world and my reactions to the surrounding environment. 

 

​