At its new Spur campus in Denver, Colorado State University (CSU) will bring its expertise to the public by offering free educational experiences to visitors of all ages. Spur’s three buildings—Hydro, Terra, and Vida—will focus, respectively, on water, earth, and life.
The first of the three facilities, Vida (Spanish for “life”), highlights the connection between animal and human health. Designed by Clark & Enersen and built by JE Dunn, the three-story, 118,000-square-foot facility has the capacity to offer 7,500 equine-assisted services (EAS) sessions each year. These sessions comprise physical, occupational, and speed therapy; mental health counseling; adaptive horsemanship and therapeutic riding; and equine-facilitated learning. Vida, which opened to visitors in January, replaces a temporary site that had hosted about 1,500 therapy sessions a year.
“CSU Spur’s Vida building has the goal of educating young visitors about careers in health, and we were interested in offering collaborative spaces that leveraged CSU’s unique skills in equine veterinary care, while partnering with organizations like the Dumb Friends League to train students and provide veterinary care to families,” Jocelyn Hittle, assistant vice chancellor of CSU Spur, said in a statement.
As the first of the three CSU Spur buildings, Vida needed distinct but flexible spaces that could support the ever-changing programs. Clark & Enersen took a holistic approach to the design, providing architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, engineering, and construction administration services. This allowed for the integration of architecture, interiors, site design, and systems—particularly important for a facility that hosts so many different programs.
In addition to EAS activities, Vida supports equine medical and rehabilitation services, as well as a veterinary hospital that provides healthcare services to dogs and cats. Vida’s spaces encourage visitors to experience what it would be like to work as a veterinarian, veterinary technician, animal behavioral specialist, or wildlife biologist. To promote public viewing and participation, the design team kept sightlines and wayfinding top of mind, leading to an abundant use of glass.
Owner: Colorado State University, CSU Spur Campus
Owner’s representative: CAA ICON
Design architect: Clark & Enersen and INVISION
Architect of record, MEP engineer, and structural engineer: Clark & Enersen
Civil Engineer: Martin/Martin
General contractor/construction manager: JE Dunn
Related Stories
Designers | Sep 20, 2024
The growing moral responsibility of designing for shade
Elliot Glassman, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, CPHD, Building Performance Leader, CannonDesign, makes the argument for architects to consider better shade solutions through these four strategies.
Higher Education | Sep 18, 2024
Modernizing dental schools: The intersection of design and education
Page's John Smith and Jennifer Amster share the how firm's approach to dental education facilities builds on the success of evidence-based design techniques pioneered in the healthcare built environment.
Libraries | Sep 12, 2024
How space supports programming changes at university libraries
GBBN Associate Sarah Kusuma Rubritz, AIA, uses the University of Pittsburgh's Hillman Library to showcase how libraries are transforming to support students’ needs.
University Buildings | Sep 4, 2024
UC San Diego’s new Multidisciplinary Life Sciences Building will support research and teaching in both health and biological sciences
The University of California San Diego has approved plans for a new Multidisciplinary Life Sciences Building, with construction starting this fall. The 200,000-sf, six-level facility will be the first building on the UC San Diego campus to bridge health science research with biological science research and teaching.
University Buildings | Aug 12, 2024
Planning for growing computer science programs
Driven by emerging AI developments and digital transformation in the business world, university computer science programs are projected to grow by nearly 15% by 2030.
Education Facilities | Aug 4, 2024
A former supersonic wind tunnel becomes a new educational facility for transportation design
The Mullin Transportation Design Center at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., provides access for full-scale vehicular models, replicating a professional design studio.
University Buildings | Aug 1, 2024
UC Riverside’s student health center provides an environment on par with major medical centers
The University of California, Riverside's new Student Health and Counseling Center (SHCC) provides a holistic approach to wellness for students throughout the UC Riverside campus. Designed by HGA and delivered through a design-build partnership with Turner Construction Company, SHCC provides healthcare offerings in an environment on par with major medical centers.
Student Housing | Jul 31, 2024
The University of Michigan addresses a decades-long student housing shortage with a new housing-dining facility
The University of Michigan has faced a decades-long shortage of on-campus student housing. In a couple of years, the situation should significantly improve with the addition of a new residential community on Central Campus in Ann Arbor, Mich. The University of Michigan has engaged American Campus Communities in a public-private partnership to lead the development of the environmentally sustainable living-learning student community.
Adaptive Reuse | Jul 30, 2024
Empty mall to be converted to UCLA Research Park
UCLA recently acquired a former mall that it will convert into the UCLA Research Park that will house the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy at UCLA and the UCLA Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, as well as programs across other disciplines. The 700,000-sf property, formerly the Westside Pavilion shopping mall, is two miles from the university’s main Westwood campus. Google, which previously leased part of the property, helped enable and support UCLA’s acquisition.
Smart Buildings | Jul 25, 2024
A Swiss startup devises an intelligent photovoltaic façade that tracks and moves with the sun
Zurich Soft Robotics says Solskin can reduce building energy consumption by up to 80% while producing up to 40% more electricity than comparable façade systems.
