The Jewel

The goal of the LoDo Historic District is to foster the arts community and revitalize the urban core of downtown Denver. We chose to honor history and context in our design by integrating our building into the surroundings; it became a hidden jewel which we called "The Jewel." 

Our aim is to provide a small performing arts space for aspiring actors in the Denver community. Denver is growing and expanding into a global, creative and diverse city. A black box theatre provides ultimate flexibility to support a variety of performances. The space can also be used for lectures and concerts. 

 

This design explores the relationship between light and dark within programmatic elements. This dynamic space can best be seen in the section drawings.The Black Box Theatre and Cinema are dark environments which allow a fantastical world to emerge. The Atrium provides daylight and a gathering space before the theater. The transcendent light also illuminates the cinema lobby found underground. 

 

Transit systems provide the opportunity to bring together the growing population in Denver. Downtown Denver has seen a revitalization only encouraged by the new light rail system. This type of growth is creating accessible routes for communities outside of the city. Following a careful analysis of the context, we recognized that this neighborhood was missing a small performing arts venue.