Russia 43 v2

Denver, Colorado

2007

 

This project was the second phase of development that was slowly changing the character of 43rd Avenue in the Sunnyside neighborhood in North Denver.

 

This project’s point of departure began where Russia 43 left off. Unlike Russia 43, the corner site across the street and the same 13,000 square foot area, was a blank canvas with the structures on the adjacent properties the only determinant of scale.

The structures were designed as 2 duplex buildings, 2+ bedrooms with each unit approximately 1,800 square feet, tied together with an open wood screen element that describes the boundary of public and private.

 

One arrives at the center of the site on the south and passes through the screen into a landscaped, interior court that does double duty as green space and an auto court allowing access to individual 2 car garages at each unit.

 

Care has been taken in these projects regarding respecting the neighborhood scale. The architecture is minimal in detail and massing and has a density at the ground and second level with opening concentrated at the living spaces. The third level has large panels of glazing to bring daylight deep into the houses allowing every space to be day lit during the daytime. Because of orientation to the south the use of high performance fritted glass was specified for these large panels.

 

 The three story spaces were designed as thermal chimneys, venting the warm air out at the top and allowing outside air to filter through the living spaces below providing natural air conditioning. Additionally, roof surfaces on the garage are to be covered in photovoltaic arrays supplementing each houses electrical requirement.

 

Materials

The material palate is simple. The exterior is a combination of siding and stucco with large wood clad windows. The interiors are simple. Polished concrete floors and drywall surfaces animated by the play of natural light. Floors are polished concrete and stairs, rails and other interior details are painted steel.