Denver Art Museum Administration Building

Creating a modern workplace that supports the mission behind one of Denver's premier cultural institutions.

Saunders completed the new Administration Building for the Denver Art Museum, delivering a 52,000-square-foot office facility that supports the museum’s operations while reflecting its commitment to design excellence and sustainability.

The three-level building provides workspace for approximately 150 employees and was designed in the spirit of LEED principles. A defining architectural feature is the exposed ceiling system throughout the facility, which required extensive three-dimensional coordination and modeling among project partners to successfully integrate building systems while maintaining the design intent.

The first two floors feature open office environments organized around centrally located conference and break rooms. These gathering spaces divide each floor into four distinct areas inspired by the chambers of the human heart, creating a unique and collaborative workplace layout. The basement level includes humidity-controlled storage supported by a dedicated HVAC system designed to maintain the precise environmental conditions required for museum operations.

This project received the 2016 Mayor’s Design Awards for Distinctive Denver from City and County of Denver Community Planning and Development.