Announcements October 9, 2019

Commerce City’s Bison Ridge Recreation Center Wins 2019 IIDA RMC “Best Serve” Award

Our Denver studio is honored to announce that our design team received an award at the IIDA Rocky Mountain Chapter BESTawards under the “Serve” category for the recently completed Bison Ridge Recreation Center in Commerce City, Colorado.

The BESTawards is a design excellence awards program that recognizes interior design projects going beyond a pretty picture, and truly encompassing Brilliantly Executed Spaces and Thinking.

Click here to view the rest of the Award-Winners from the 2019 IIDA RMC BESTawards.

Click here to visit the Commerce City Parks, Recreation & Golf website.

“With residents’ vision and support, Commerce City is now home to a state-of-the-art recreation facility that will serve our growing community for many generations.”

Sean Ford, Mayor of Commerce City

Bison Ridge Recreation Center, Commerce City, Colorado

Described as the Prairie Gateway, Commerce City is a growing community with a contrasting character in both industrial as well as farming heritage. With one foot rooted in the past and an eye toward the future, the citizens envisioned a building of timeless tradition in modern clothes. The center is a full-service community amenity providing programming for sport, social, and wellness opportunities. From the earliest sketches, the formal organization consisted of a careful composition of gabled volumes, intended to recall the “homestead” – a cluster of agrarian buildings. One of the biggest challenges was breaking down the scale of this large structure to a more pedestrian level, so the barns are rotated and split open to bring in daylight. The same character of materials leads patrons through the interior spaces with clear views to the activity areas: including a large community center for public events; a leisure pool with an interactive waterslide; a full service gymnastics studio; a large basketball and volleyball gymnasium; state of the art weight and cardio equipment; a technology lounge; and a number of group training opportunities, including an outdoor rooftop fitness deck with a stunning view of Long’s Peak.

This facility is the second recreation center for the City and the design team was able to build upon knowledge gained from operations staff at the existing facility. A single control point was positioned across the lobby to segregate paid from non-paid functions, while maintaining the visual connection to the front entry and each wing of the building. Day-use lockers and changing rooms are positioned in key locations providing convenience to patrons. A gender neutral change suite with dual language signage is located with direct connection to the pool intended to help families and bolster inclusion.

As an extension of the exterior design, the interior spaces are intentionally clad with many of the same materials: planks, stone, and metals. Primarily the color palate is warm and neutral with pops of color in select areas to emphasize the fun or playful nature of a given space. Lighting fixtures were carefully chosen and integrated to further enhance built elements. Furniture selection, signage, and graphics were also in the design team’s scope. Following the cities vision, the prairie gateway concept came to life through the integrated and committed teaming collaboration of all involved.

Commerce City’s Bison Ridge Recreation Center Wins 2019 IIDA RMC “Best Serve” Award

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