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22 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / SEPTEMBER 2017
A pproaching down-
town Denver from
the west, growth, and
therefore change, is undeniable.
Cranes fill the skyline and as the
descent from Millennium Bridge
is made, an area devoid of hardly
any structures just five years ago is
now teeming with activity. In this
sea of development, as an architect,
it’s fascinating to consider what creates
longevity in place-making and drives a
compelling human experience.
As our city transforms from a hidden
gem on the foothills of the Rockies, to an
emerging national and global competitor
for jobs, innovation and lifestyle, people
remain the one, driving constant. At our
firm, we believe through the power of
design, the places we create can enhance
human experiences that connect people,
communities, organizations, families and
friends.
To some, this construction boom may seem all
too familiar. The first wave of urban renewal swept
the nation in the 1960s, manifested in Denver as
the Skyline Project. During that phase, many of the
buildings typologies that we now endear made way
for the parking lots that we now see being redevel-
oped. Just over three decades ago, Denver was expe-
riencing a similar chapter. Many of our most recog-
nizable buildings were erected in a 10-year window
between the mid-1970s and early 1980s. It was not
for lack of planning or vision that what we now
see as many of our city’s urban design failures oc-
curred. Therefore, caution is warranted to not repli-
cate the same mistakes. We have since learned that
we can no longer silo people’s lives into neatly de-
fined, single-use categories that separate our work-
place from our home, our neighborhoods from
shopping districts, and downtowns from suburbs.
The Gensler-designed Giambrocco development in
RiNo will appeal to artists, entrepreneurs and es-
tablished firms alike by combining inside/outside
spaces, shared community amenities and a blend
of next-generation office/studio spaces.
Designers will continue to strive in creating visu-
ally stimulating, contextual and sometimes provoc-
atively designed buildings. However, these elements
should only serve as the glue that holds together
the larger foundations of human experience and
behavioral anticipation. Our mission is to approach
design with a holistic understanding of how peo-
ple experience every aspect of their lives. How can
we better anticipate people’s needs, tap into their
emotions and engage the varying complexities of
their lived reality? By considering these variables,
we unleash the potential to create spaces where
people can thrive. The spaces we create should en-
courage people to interact with each other, with
their communities, and help facilitate a pride in
place that will endure beyond the most recent de-
sign trend or market cycle. The MOTO mixed-use
boutique apartment building, located at Eighth and
Sherman, reflects the vitality of the neighborhood
Jonas Philipsen
Senior
Associate
and Design
Director,
Gensler
ELEMENTS Experiential Design
Gensler/Ryan Gobuty
The MOTO mixed-use boutique apartment build-
ing, located at Eighth and Sherman, reflects the vi-
tality of the neighborhood and enhances the sense
of community.
Gensler/Wenk
Giambrocco in RiNo will appeal to artists, entrepreneurs and es-
tablished firms alike by combining inside/outside spaces, shared
community amenities and a blend of next-generation office/
studio spaces.