In this lecture, Shure Visiting Professor Erik “Rick” Sommerfeld, director of the ColoradoBuildingWorkshop, discusses a globally recognized design-build practice that extends from Denver’s urban core to the Continental Divide, and from the college campus to the remote islands of Antarctica. While the work is seemingly “anywhere,” specificity guides the program’s educational model—an approach to architecture that addresses community needs and current societal challenges, with designs shaped by their regional context.
Founded as a graduate architecture design-build program at the University of Colorado Denver’s College of Architecture and Planning, the ColoradoBuildingWorkshop takes a community-driven approach to a wide range of issues, including workforce housing, sustainable infrastructure for non-motorized transportation, climate change and overfishing, backcountry waste management, youth education, and small business incubators that support downtown revitalization. Over the past 17 years, more than 416 students have participated, completing 22 projects and constructing 57 buildings. Through this model, students collaborate with engineers, material representatives, fabricators, installers, local businesses, and community partners—building relationships that extend well beyond their academic careers.
These projects demand innovative construction methods and prefabricated systems for rapid deployment, often in environmentally sensitive locations. Each design responds directly to its context and brief: some prioritize carbon neutrality or thermal performance, while others emphasize environmental sensitivity or are designed for disassembly.
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