Campus Design Guidelines

Guidelines 

To complement the Master Plan, Auraria Campus in conjunction with local architect George Hoover, prepared new Campus Design Guidelines in 2009.

These guidelines:

• Focus on creating an urban campus without specifically defining architectural materials
• Represent a movement away from the traditional red brick, warehouse-style buildings prevalent on the Auraria Campus

The Design Guidelines have been crafted in response to the changes on campus, including:

• A higher population density on the campus
• Closer pedestrian connections to downtown
• A more walkable city and campus
• A stronger connection to our heritage
• A more sustainable campus environmentally, economically, and socially

Designers are encouraged to use these guidelines, both in general spirit and in particular detail, to help the campus evolve to its new paradigm based upon traditional town design.

Auraria Architectural Review Board (AARB)

The Auraria Architectural Review Board (AARB) has been established to review plans to ensure that they are in compliance with the Auraria Campus Design Guidelines. 

The AARB is an advisory body to the Auraria Executives Council (AEC) and the Master Plan Subcommittee of the Auraria Board. The AARB serves in an advisory capacity and consists of the following members:

• Four architects, landscape architects, or planners from the Denver community to be appointed by the AHEC CEO
• Two representatives from each of the constituent institutions, as appointed by the presidents and chancellor of the institutions
• Campus Planner for the Auraria Higher Education Center
• Auraria Campus CEO
• Other members as appointed by the Auraria Campus CEO

Projects Subject to Review

• All new and exterior remodel projects on the campus
• All new and updated institutional neighborhood plans
• All updates to the Auraria Campus Master Plan
   
• This review process does not apply to internal remodels – unless the primary use of the building is changing in such a manner that it impacts:
  • exterior materials
  • building entrances
  • exterior enclosure changes that impact transparency
  • inside/outside relationships (an addition is planned)