Drive

DRIVE, a 100,000 square foot speculative commercial complex comprised of two phases, is located in the TAXI development in the River North (RiNo) district in Denver, Colorado. Innovative strategies were employed to achieve the DRIVE mission of a vibrant workplace. Communal amenities, social spaces and innovative workplace opportunities combine to define a new genre of office environment that fosters internal interaction and a relationship to the immediate context and the broader environment. Originally conceived as a single building, DRIVE was cleaved by the economic downturn into two phases to correspond with available financing. In DRIVE 1, the floor plate’s north edge was angled in response to a site utility easement, while its south end was designed in response to the breaking of the project into two phases. This broken façade was picked up and reflected in DRIVE 2, creating a dialogue between the buildings. The stairwell at DRIVE is punctuated by glass blocks which allow light to infiltrate the stairwell during the day while also creating a unique pattern at night. Unconventional placement of large garage doors on all levels opens the building to the urban skyline and to mountain views, providing infiltration of light and air, and creating a sense of connection to the outdoors in a city focused on outdoor activity. Internally, the zones with garage doors create nodes of social activity at the upper floors. Daylight also infiltrates the interior spaces via skylights with glass floors that filter light to the lower levels.