Architecture week takes place starting April 11

In honor of Colorado architecture week, April 11-17, the state chapter of the American Institute of Architects and four local AIA chapters will host a series of events and educational activities, most of which are free and open to the public. For more information or to make reservations for any event, call (303) 446-2266 or visit http://www.coloradoarchitectureweek.org/. One of the events, "Box City," will include a gathering for children in kindergarten through fifth grade, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., April 12, at Steele Elementary School, 1720 N. Weber St. in Colorado Springs. The free event seeks to promote an understanding of historic preservation and urban design. Children will experience the design and construction industry firsthand by requesting permits, ordering materials, designing buildings and constructing those buildings into a cardboard city. AIA-member architects and design professionals will offer advice and assistance to participants.

Architects to gather at CC's Packard Hall

Members of the Colorado South chapter of the American Institute of Architects are invited to attend a reception at 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 7, at Packard Hall (right) on the campus of Colorado College, 5 W. Cache La Poudre St., in Colorado Springs, which will be followed by a tour of the building's new addition. The addition was designed by Architectural Research Office of New York. The event is free to AIA members, and attendees will receive a complimentary copy of the book “Architecture as Teacher: Packard Hall at Colorado College," which was released last fall. Attendees also will have the opportunity to meet the book’s authors, Elaine Freed and Ruth Kolarik. The event begins with refreshments, followed by tours led by music and art department faculty. RSVP to 389-6835 or constance.dudgeon@coloradocollege.edu. Packard Hall is on the southwest corner of Cache La Poudre and Cascade Avenue.

Springs firm chosen to design downtown arts district

Fennell Group of Colorado Springs will serve as the architectural firm for Springs developer Chuck Murphy's proposed $18 million arts district, which is envisioned to be built as part of the southwest downtown urban renewal project. The district is planned north of Colorado Avenue and west of Sierra Madre Street.

“Fennell Group’s lead architect, Jim Fennell, is a longtime advocate of ‘green’ building and the principles of smart growth and he has utilized forward-thinking New Urban principles of neighborhood development in this project,” Murphy said.

The Downtown Arts District will include live-work lofts for 25 to 40 artists who will live, create and sell their work on site. The district also will be promoted as an artist’s market and tourist attraction. Fennell Group’s design focused on the theme of Colorado’s bull elk and proposes a pedestrian-oriented “festival” street as the central artery.
The district will be designed to include an observation tower with mountain and city views, a water/fountain entry, spaces for mixed uses such as a restaurant, bar, café, arts and educational organizations, green space and a seasonal vendor’s park. It will also include a foundry for artists producing metal sculpture.
"Chuck and I want to give our area artists the type of support they often feel they don’t receive here locally, and to establish Colorado Springs as a major player in the state and national art market," said Steven Mullens, Murphy's partner in the development. “As a tourist attraction we see this rising to the level of our finest attractions, such as the Air Force Academy and Garden of the Gods.”
Members of an architectural selection committee that selected Fennell Group included Chuck Miller and Jim Rees, Colorado Springs Urban Renewal Authority consultants; longtime downtown activist, business owner and authority member Judy Noyes; Beth Kosley, executive director of the Downtown Partnership advocacy group; and Tim Siebert, a member of N.E.S. Inc. a Springs planning firm.

Architects to gather for design awards Nov. 30

A design awards gala for the American Institute of Architects' southern Colorado chapter will take place Nov. 30 at Colorado College's Bemis Hall, 920 N. Cascade Ave., in Colorado Springs. The event will include presentation of the AIA Colorado South 2007 design award winners by Patrick Gallagher of Washington D.C.-based Gallagher & Associates. Springs architect Morey Bean, 2007 president of AIA Colorado South, will emcee the evening, which will include dinner and live entertainment. More information: www.aiacolorado.org/events_programs/AIAColoradoSouthGala.cfm or Robin Hickey at 303.446.2266, ext. 21.