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/ BUILDING DIALOGUE / MARCH 2016
O
n Nov. 19, Denver International Airport unveiled a
Gensler-designed plaza, Westin hotel and conference
center that together transform the airport into a one-
of-a-kind travel destination.
This project is the realization of DIA’s original 1989 master
plan, and it includes three key elements: an 82,000-square-
foot, open-air plaza; a 433,000-square-foot Westin hotel and
conference center with 519 guest rooms; and a public transit
center that will connect commuter rail and busses to the
airport, slated to begin rail service in April. These three ele-
ments compose a single, integrated project that abuts DIA’s
Jeppesen Terminal. Together, they create a new gateway be-
tween the airport and its city.
The project is owned by Denver International Airport
and was built by MHS, a tri-venture comprising contractors
Mortenson Hunt and Saunders. The complex project team,
led by Gensler, designed the project to achieve LEED Gold
certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
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Denver artist Patrick Marold’s “Shadow Array,” consisting of 236 beetle-kill spruce logs, greets train travelers and enhances
the arrival experience.
Photos courtesy Gensler
