Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Completion

2007

Client

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center

Size

132,000 SF

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Scope of Work

Lead Design Architect and Architect of Record, Interior Design, Historic Preservation

The original Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, designed in 1936 by New Mexico architect John Gaw Meem, is considered one of Colorado’s ten most significant buildings and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The program for Tryba Architects’ 2005 expansion and renovation called for restoration of all public spaces and galleries and the addition of new permanent and temporary exhibition space, public meeting and event spaces, classrooms, artist studios, a restaurant and café and additional storage. The use of natural light and the seamless connection to the historic fabric became central themes.

The restoration of over 66,000 SF of existing structure and the addition of more than 66,000 SF of new building emerged as a carefully choreographed ballet of contrasts: between the old and the new, the earth and the sky; solid and void; concrete and glass; sun and shade.

Natural light is the central theme in all of the circulation spaces
Amenity spaces include a theater, restaurant and an art school
Seamless connection with the historic fabric