Today, we have a very special update on Populus, where we take a look at the exterior and then head inside to see the progress being made on the interior. Populus is arguably one of the most architecturally unique projects going up in Downtown Denver and, when complete, will remain one of the most distinctive. Before we begin the tour, we want to extend a huge thank you to Adam Perkins and Eric Rymarz of Urban Villages for taking DenverInfill on an “Inside the Infill” tour.
EXTERIOR
Let’s begin with a look at the exterior of the project. At the time of our tour, the facade was mostly complete, with facade work wrapping up on the Downtown-facing side of the project. As of today, the facade should be mostly wrapped up. Consisting of 365 panels and 87 molds, the Aspen-tree-inspired design is striking and stands out from all vantage points that can see the building. The photos below show Populus from the Golden Triangle extending above the City and County building.
Here are some additional up-close photos of the facade.
Moving in closer, we were able to take a look at the panels ready to be lifted onto the building. They are much larger than expected when standing just a few feet away from one.
INSIDE THE INFILL
Upon entering Populus, guests will be greeted with what is aptly named the “Forest Floor.” The double-height lobby features a grand staircase, a public restaurant, and a coffee shop. Finishes in the lobby include sheets of Reishi™, a leather alternative that features the root structure of mushrooms. While a large portion of hotels Downtown tread a grey line of public and private spaces, Populus strives to allow space for guests and the public by providing 96 seats around the first and second floor for everyone to enjoy.
Heading up to the second floor, you will find additional seating and conference rooms. The finishes are starting to go in, featuring a wood slat ceiling and built-in fixtures to match the scheme. In one of the photos below, you will see a cluster of dots on the windows. This coating is not a protective coating that will later be removed; instead, it is to help prevent bird collisions, a thoughtful solution to a problem seen with high-rise buildings.
Moving on to the guest rooms, below are a few photos of guest rooms that are nearing completion. One notable feature of some guest rooms is the seat in the “Aspen eye” of the window. As someone over six feet tall, I found this quite comfortable, and it provided a neat experience to look out the window.
One thing to note about the interior windows: most of the photos in this post show the outline of the “Aspen eyes” in the windows, with the internal parts of the panels visible. As you can see in the photos below, these parts of the window will be covered with drywall.
Heading up to the top floor, dubbed the “Canopy,” you are greeted with a public space that includes a rooftop restaurant, outdoor bar, garden terrace, and a private dining room. Here, you will also find the top-floor suites that offer views of Downtown Denver. In the photos of the suite, you will see windows that do not have the “Aspen eyes” treatment yet, an interesting contrast between unfinished and finished.
VIEWS
Wrapping up the tour, let’s look at some of the views from the rooftop deck. 13 stories over Civic Center Park offers a great view of the park, Colorado State Capitol, Golden Triangle, and the City and County building.
We hope you enjoyed this tour of Populus! Construction is expected to be completed in late summer / early fall, and reservations will be accepted starting in the summer.
| Project Description | Developer | Architect | Contractor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Stories | 297 hotel rooms | 0 (v) parking | Urban Villages | Studio Gang | Beck Group |
Wow! Really a remarkable building, providing an artistic contrast to the area. We need more of this architecture around the city.
Long live the Cheese Grater!!!
This looks fantastic. I hope the white exteriors hold up to the elements and sufficient maintenance keeps them looking like they do now.
My kids call it the “fish mouth building.” I still like it, though.
I hope this magnificent building becomes an inspiration for other developers in Denver. That they start to go beyond the basic box buildings and start creating landmarks that are visually exciting and memorable… Buildings so iconic that when people see a picture of them, they instantly know that it’s in Denver.
Also…. Great pictures Ryan!
Controversial design, but I love it. And I especially love the the willingness to think outside the box.
A truly awesome piece of architecture given the bland buildings downtown. Much better looking than the odd canyon building in Rino. The canyon building looks like it was modeled after the Flintstones in Bedrock.
Awesome inside look, thank you Ryan! The facade has really grown on me, there’s something about seeing it in person that made it click for me. Really excited about this project and the impact it will have on Civic Center and that part of Downtown
Well done Populus. Would love to pick the architectural team’s brains on how windows would be replaced in case of breakage!
I was kinda worried the facade would make the interior dark, but that doesn’t appear to be the case at all. The shape of the interior light takes on such a cool shape. Almost cathedral-like. Agree—this building is a fun addition to a very prominent corridor. Hopefully the hotel further invigorates this stretch of 16th St.
😮 :O :0
Who was the contractor on this beauty?