Pool House 3 | 2008 | Denver, Colorado  Pool House 3 is a public swimming facility commissioned by Stapleton Development, a brownfield redevelopment project on the site of Denver’s former Stapleton Airport. The pool house forms the heart of one of Stapleton’s New Urbanism neighborhoods.

The building is a series of pavilions placed discreetly in the prairie landscape. Three white concrete pavilions, forming the restrooms and check-in area, contrast with a fourth pavilion clad in rough-sawn, weathered cedar siding. To create a north-facing courtyard, wild grasses grow out of a 150-foot long planter built of fencing reclaimed from the former airport.

The street façade incorporates public art by Urban Rock Design of Los Angeles. Three photographic panels, titled “Conditional Reflections,” depict the temporal condition of water – solid, liquid, and vapor. At night, the panels are backlit to transform the building into a floating sculptural light-box.

Great effort was taken to minimize the environmental footprint of the structure. The landscape incorporates native low-water plants and grasses. Pedestrian traffic is encouraged by eliminating an on-site parking lot and increasing bike storage spots. The men’s restroom is equipped with waterless urinals and the roof diverts rainwater to the landscape.

This project was completed as a project architect with Semple Brown Design, P.C.