Populus
Location
Denver, CO
Status
Under Construction
Client
Urban Villages
Type
Hotel
Size
135,000 sf / 159 ft / 13 stories
265 hotel rooms
Sustainability
Targeting LEED Gold
Opening itself to the city and to the Rocky Mountains beyond, Populus is designed to become an energetic new social center in downtown Denver. Located on a prominent corner site, the building greets the neighborhood equally on all three sides, welcoming visitors and residents and connecting Denver’s civic, arts, and commercial districts.
At the building’s base, the windows grow up to 30 feet in height to frame entrances and views into the lobby, restaurant, and amenity spaces.
The texture and rhythm of its sculptural façade is strongly tied to the building’s hotel function. Each vertical scallop is the width of a guest room, and its windows change in size in response to the character of the building’s public and private spaces.
Upon entering their rooms, hotel guests are greeted with immersive views of the nearby State Capitol and Civic Center Park and the mountains beyond through the generous windows. In some rooms, the windows also become occupiable, transforming into seating that brings guests closer to the outdoors. The distinctive window shapes are informed by studying the characteristic patterns found on Aspen trees (Populus tremuloides). As the trees grow, they shed their lower branches, leaving behind dark, eye-shaped marks on the papery bark of their trunks.
This unrolled elevation reveals the variety of window modules that work together to create Populus' iconic facade, from dramatic ground level arches to smaller openings that offer glimpses of the city.
The windows’ distinctive shape is informed by the growth process of aspen trees, an instantly recognizable symbol of Colorado.
Window "lids" are tuned to provide shade to guests and channel rainwater off the façade, which uses low-carbon concrete.
The windows are further detailed to perform efficiently in the Denver climate. On the exterior, the “lids” of each window stretch outward according to solar orientation to shade the interior, while also neatly channeling rainwater to keep the façade looking fresh over time.
At the building’s base, the windows are the scale of portals 30 feet in height, framing entrances and views into the lobby, restaurant, and amenity spaces. Deepening the building’s commitment to sustainability, Populus is the first development downtown to have no onsite parking—encouraging visitors and guests toward greener modes of transport. A roof terrace planted with regional vegetation offers extensive views at the building’s top, providing a lush place to socialize and attractive habitat for local wildlife and insects.
Occupiable windows create unique, light-filled spaces for relaxing and working
A green roof terrace animates the top of Populus, providing a perch for guests and visitors to enjoy sweeping views of Denver.
Consultant Team
Studio NYL, structural engineer
Wildman Chalmers Design, interior design
Fowler + Fowler Architecture & Design, interior architect
Superbloom, landscape architect for green roof
Kimley-Horn, civil engineer
WSP, MEP/FP engineer (in concept) and sustainability consultant
Klok Group, MEP/FP engineer
Arup, acoustic engineer
LS Group, lighting consultant
Lerch Bates, vertical transportation consultant
Advanced Consulting Engineers, code consultant
The Beck Group, general contractor
Pique Technologies, IT/AV design consultant
Next Step Design, food service consultant
With its bold facade and inviting arched entrances on each side, Populus establishes a lively and welcoming new destination in downtown Denver.
Related
Studio Gang Designs Vibrant New Social Center in Downtown Denver
Opening itself to the city and to the Rocky Mountains beyond, Populus greets the neighborhood equally on all three sides, welcoming visitors and residents and connecting Denver’s civic, arts, and commercial districts.
Colorado Real Estate Journal — "Populus: A New Hub for Social and Civic Life in Denver"
"At the intersection of Colfax Avenue, 14th Street and Court Place lies a triangular parcel that most pedestrians and motorists likely pass by without a glance. Though it may be inconspicuous today, the site’s unique location – across the street from the Denver City and County Building and Civic Center Park and blocks away from the Colorado Convention Center and 16th Street Mall – gives it enormous potential to become a new connective hub for downtown."
