MARY REED HALL AND
WARREN CIRCLE GATEWAY

THE UNIVERSITY OF DENVER

In 2012, the University of Denver was confirmed to host the first presidential debate on campus. It then became critical to improve the sense of arrival to the historical gateway to the university, along with solving universal access issues to the historical Mary Reed Hall. Our first step of the design process was to understand the site in relation to its larger context, and to recognize its unique history. When the university was created, Warren Circle was planted with a large number of trees, presenting the campus as a grove prominently located on the top of the hill.

Working closely with university architect Mark Rodgers, Didier Design Studio developed a design strategy to enhance the sense of arrival to campus and to Mary Reed Hall. The most important design move was to inspire the ‘replanting’ of Warren Circle and further enhance its connection to University Avenue and the larger community. The second step was to articulate the edge of the campus with a clearly defined landscape as a democratic and academic ground. Our design provides a clear landscape-architectural language by featuring a well-defined lawn framed with stone seat walls and layered planting. Thirdly, the design answers the need for improved safety and sense of flow when approaching Mary Reed Hall. An add-on concrete ramp had previously served as a temporary solution to the lack of universal access, yet obstructed the main entrance to the historical structure. Our attention to grading and detailing allowed us to promote the integration of a universal route; an elegant, gently-sloped pedestrian path.