Nestled between two state parks, three regional parks and a national forest is the Sterling Ranch master planned community. Located 20 miles south of downtown Denver in Sterling Ranch, Colo., the community of new homes sits in an idyllic valley at the gateway to the Front Range. The $4.4 billion development spans 3,400 acres, and is expected to have 12,000 homes, schools, churches, shopping and recreation after a 20-year build-out.
Community center’s design and materials mirror its natural surroundings
Photo: John Gawley
Designed by Eppstein Uhen Architects, Denver, the Sterling Ranch Civic Center was the first commercial building constructed within the community, helping to set the standard for future commercial growth in the area. The project broke ground in July 2017, and opened in late 2018. Situated centrally at the entrance of the community’s pioneer village, Providence Village, the civic center is a place for community gathering, learning, business leaders and health and wellness.
With more than 30,000 square feet, the center is home to organizations such as UCHealth, Siemens, the Sterling Ranch Community Authority Board (SRCAB) and more. Additionally, there is a more than 3,400 square feet of exhibit hall space touting myriad educational venues about the community, its surroundings and technologies.
Photo: John Gawley
John Gawley, marketing director at SGH Concepts, a division of SGH Redglaze Holdings Inc., Omaha, Neb., notes that the civic center’s design takes inspiration from the surrounding community and with a mix of natural materials, emulates the scenic location contrasted by a bold stainless steel skin. “This creates an iconic presence filled with businesses, community space, health care, shops and more to create a hub at the center of Sterling Ranch,” he says.
Designed as an iconic landmark within the new community, the building’s long and low shape takes cues from the nearby panoramic mountain range. Its colors are emblematic of the area’s landscape and native plantings. A second-floor deck overlooks the neighborhood while providing views to the mountains.
“The building utilizes and draws in colors and landscape of its surroundings,” explains Gawley. “Wood is pulled from the neighboring prairie, the brick compliments the tree bark, the glass pulls characteristics from the nearby water and the metal panels are a strong complimenting contrast to the rest of the material palette, working as a mirror.”
Photo: John Gawley
The patterned wall features 3,430 square feet of Elkhorn, Wis.-based Millennium Forms LLC’s 20-gauge stainless steel wall panels in Sharkskin Pewter installed on a 15-degree diagonal pattern. These panels are installed on top of Allegan, Mich.-based Advanced Architectural Products’ SMARTci GreenGirt with 2-inch Hunter insulation from Hunter Panels, Portland, Maine.
“The diagonal pattern of the silver metal panels offers the project a unique identity marker that really contrasts the rest of the building’s exterior skin,” adds Gawley. Additionally, “The diagonal pattern wall creates fascinating geometrical opportunities.”
For the enclosure of the mechanical screen wall and access door conditions, the designers chose 1,437 square feet of Moon Township, Pa.-based CENTRIA’s 20-gauge IW-10A horizontal metal wall panels in Slate Gray applied onto vertical hat channels. To complete the façade, El Paso Glass Co. Inc., Denver, fabricated and installed 7,500 square feet of Norcross, Ga.-based Kawneer Co. Inc.’s 451T and 1600 Wall Systems with Solarban 90 glass from Vitro Architectural Glass, Cheswick, Pa., in clear insulated glass units.
A display garden with walking paths, designed in collaboration with the Denver Botanic Gardens, sits just outside the building. It provides opportunities to learn about and experience the native and naturalized landscaping.