In the College of Architecture and Planning at the University of Colorado Denver, students and faculty engage directly with our vibrant city, dynamic community, and magnificent landscape by working on real projects that make a real difference. Explore the ways research and creative projects at CAP ignite evolution that enriches places for people and the planet.
The pavilion, located in Waterton Canyon, serves as an outdoor classroom for environmental groups involved in Bird Banding, Pond Ecology and Wildlife Habitat.
The structure is a pragmatic response to the various constraints of the site. The tilted columns were conceived to triangulate the lateral loads associated with a structure that, by floodplain regulations, were not allowed to have walls. Off the backside of the structure a small cantilever celebrates the release of captured birds back to nature. The roof drains to a central skylight (fondly referred to as the squoculus) to capture rainwater and filter it through vegetation, soil, and rock before returning it to the floodplain.