30 Nov 2011
November 2011 marked the opening of a new Allied Works Architecture-designed Denver landmark honouring reclusive art legend Clyfford Still.
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper delivered the opening speech of the November 18 opening ceremony to a crowd of over 300, including donors, family members of the artist, and other stewards of the institution. Many of Still’s greatest works were on view for the inaugural exhibition, some seen for the first time since hay from the barn where he kept them after withdrawing from the art world was shaken from the canvas.
The event’s title, First Light, reflects the major role of light in the visitor experience. Arup’s lighting designers worked to realize the architect’s goal of a building flooded with highly distinctive natural light. Allied Works principal Brad Cloepfil wanted to fill the space with volumetric light which would change according to exterior conditions. This adds a strong incentive for repeat visits: Still’s work can literally be seen in a new light on different days.
To achieve this, Arup’s lighting designers and mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineers provided critical input into the design of a geometrically complex perforated concrete ceiling. A series of skylights above required particularly close interdisciplinary coordination.
Our services also added value for the client on a number of other levels. For example, by helping broker a deal with the Denver Museum of Art allowing the new museum to absorb the excess capacity of its building systems, we helped the client save a significant amount of money. By making the unusual suggestion of adding a back-up system to the archival space, we helped safeguard the legacy of an important 20th-century artist.
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