Denver Botanic Gardens Freyer-Newman Center

The final step in the Denver Botanic Gardens four-phase master plan, the 123,000-square-foot Freyer-Newman Center, holds classrooms, four gallery spaces, an expanded library, improved laboratories, 277-seat auditorium, a more accessible herbarium, and two levels of underground parking. Designed with LEED Gold standards, this new Center for Science, Art, and Education (CSAE) plays an essential role in the community’s access to the gardens’ arts and education programs.

Led by Davis Partnership Architects, 360 Engineering provided plumbing engineering consulting and design services for the project and fire protection engineering for the underground parking garage. The CSAE Building has two laboratory spaces for General Tissue Culture and Ecology. 360 Engineering designed and specified laboratory accessories and utilities for experimentation on the laboratory benches and in hoods. The laboratory systems included a dedicated air compressor, vacuum, deionized water system, and an emergency shower.

The project scope included upgrades at the historic Boettcher Memorial Center, which presented a need for creative design solutions. The Boettcher building is a protected historic site with a unique ceiling and roof structure. The engineers used the existing architectural aesthetics, which also presented some challenges for maintaining their position and purpose while still providing the needed utilities to the site. There was on-site problem solving for routing around and maintaining the integrity of existing conditions and structure.

2021 Mayor’s Design Award Winner

Location

Denver, Colorado

Owner

Denver Botanic Gardens

Client

Davis Partnership Architects

Category

Community
Municipal/State