88
/ BUILDING DIALOGUE / SEPTEMBER 2015
ABOVE LEFT:
Rendering courtesy
Humphries Poli
Architects
Rocky Mountain
Real Estate Challenge
Midtown Industrial
Center, Denver, CO
ABOVE RIGHT:
Photo courtesy
Bernard Grant
HPA Firm Principals
(Left to Right: Joseph
Poli, Jane Crisler,
Ryan Wallace, Dennis
Humphries)
/ Friends from the Midwest /
being an artist and being an architect. An
artist may create a painting in New York and
then take it with her when she moves to Los
Angeles, he says.
“You can’t do that with architecture be-
cause it’s about place,” Poli says.
“Being an architect means that the work is
rooted in the place, the site or the commu-
nity. And I think that’s indicative of how we
think.”
That ethic is reflected in the culture of
HPA. Ryan Wallace, the newest partner at
the firm, says that’s exactly what compelled
him to take the position.
“I realized there was something different
about this firm, and that was their desire to
make better ‘places,’” he said via email. “Mac-
ro and micro, inside and out, architecture is
about the place, and they want to talk about
it.”
Being connected to the community is not
only about creating great public spaces, it
also relates to the two friends’ commitment
to the architectural and design community
of Denver, Colorado and the region. Through-
out their history, Humphries and Poli have
each worked to advance design while con-
serving the rich historical heritage of Denver.
Among many roles, Humphries has served
as chairman of the Denver Landmark Preser-
vation Commission and as a trustee for His-
toric Denver. Poli has been active as a board
member for AIA Denver, the LoDo Design Re-
view Board, and the Design Review Commit-
tee for the Auraria Campus.
Thinking back on his days as a young
member of the Chicago Architecture Club,
Poli says one of the most important things
he took away was that collegiality is critical
to the practice of architecture. He says the
club brought together fierce competitors, de-
signers who were often going after the same
projects, who would get together after hours
in the confines of the club, to talk, even cri-
tique one another’s work.
“It was all done in a very collegial way,” Poli
says. “That’s when I realized that’s an import-
ant part of what we do, too, and it’s some-
thing that’s basic to big city architecture.”
He later started the Denver Architectural
League to advance the design dialogue in
Colorado.
While the Woodmen Insurance building
is a testament to the design eye of Poli and
his friend and partner Humphries, it’s also
evidence of their deep commitment to nur-
turing creativity in the community. Home to
three artists-in residence, the firm hosts each
for – months in spacious, well-lit studios on
the first floor. Their work graces the walls of
the HPA offices, and is the focus of art open-
ings and other events.
As their firm celebrates its 21st anniversa-
ry, they have received more than 100 design
awards. Perhaps even more telling – as mea-
sures of peer recognition – HPA has been
named AIA Western Region Firm of the Year,
AIA Colorado Firm of the Year and AIA Den-
ver Firm of the Year.
The leadership and influence of the firm
was recognized by Gov. John Hickenlooper,
when he named May 21, 2015, Humphries Poli
Architects Day. That, in itself, shows a deep
connection to the community.
“Our practice is about building commu-
nities,” Humphries adds. “That’s why I get so
excited and am so honored to be called an
‘architect’.”
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