THE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
Overview:
With a glance to the past, the architectural design for Northfield Stapleton seeks to meld historically significant retail forms with modern structures that foretell the future of north Denver. Northfield has been designed by three architects to imbue distinctive features in each of the three districts.
With its unique angled streets, the center encourages shoppers to stroll the comfortable, shady walkways, enticed by an environment that teases the senses with smells of native fauna, sights of whimsical art forms and shopping delights. Forming the street are retail shops that recall building proportions of Denver´s past, but with materials and details that create a forward looking environment representative of Denver´s explosive growth in young, active families.
Every detail is designed to produce a pedestrian-friendly gathering place for the total community.
Pedestrian-Friendly: What Does It Mean?
A place to walk that provides a quality experience — one that´s safe, comfortable, and "cozy," accomplished by traffic-calming techniques, such as on-street parking, speed bumps, raised crosswalks and other devices.
Landscaping that provides a buffer zone from traffic and a sense of enclosure, where the trees and bushes on one side and buildings on the other surround the sidewalks and offer a sense of security. All of Main Street will feature raised concrete planters, an abundance of planting beds and mature street trees
Curving streets that make the spaces more manageable by appearing smaller and safer, with "ends" or "termini" that define the area.
A sense of proportion between street width and building height derived from the rule of thumb of classic American Main Streets: the building height should be about one half of the street width from building face to building face.
Visual interest along the way to minimize the expanse and create the impression of a "walkable distance," which, for most people, ranges between a five-minute, quarter-mile walk to a 10-minute, half-mile stroll. Rolling carts, ornamental lights and street furnishings with enhance the areas.
Street activity of all kinds.
Use of warm materials, outdoor furniture and decorative lighting.
Accessibility for all, including rest areas, ramps for physically challenged individuals, and other places to sit. Pocket parks and paseos providing places to rest and a varied environment.
Fountains that offer a sense of fun and tranquility and nurture the spirit.
A network of streets that create a neighborhood or community — a friendly environment to visit and linger.
Signage embellishments to easily guide the way.
Architectural Details:
Number of Buildings:
16 on Main Street
Paver types and styles:
Colored concrete, concrete and brick
Sample site furnishings and amenities:
Steel benches, custom furnishings, a variety of fountain styles, decorative and abundant lighting features, decorative planters
Children´s Sculpture Play Area with custom seats
Signage
Decorative and informative with use of the signature Northfield logo
Three Districts
Main Street at Northfield has been designed in three Districts with varied spaces, architectures and amenities to create different experiences and interests as one passes from one District to the next.
The Fashion District: Northern Portion
- Designed by The Mulhern Group of Denver, the architecture of the District harkens back to turn-of-the-century Denver, featuring brick Victorian style as seen throughout lower downtown Denver. The experience is further heightened by the introduction of colorful awnings, canopies, banners, landscaping, ornamental lights and street furniture.
- This northern boundary is entered via roundabouts at Uinta and Verbena. The angled streets welcome one into the Fashion District, which is anchored by Macy´s and other fashion retailers.
- Two-story restaurant buildings join with smaller shops to form the entry to the District, ending in a colorful roundabout and two, crescent-shaped, two-story buildings. They sit opposite a gracious plaza, opening up to the two-story Macy´s store.
- This area is anchored by the 85,000-square-foot Harkins Theatre, which forms the southern boundary of Main Street. On either side of the Theatre sit two groups of art deco buildings. A contemporary version, by Field Paoli Architects of San Francisco, enlivens the south side of 46th Avenue and the Theater Plaza with its soaring blade signs, playful forms and deco tile work.
- To the north of this area is an ensemble of eclectic art deco buildings by Elkus Manfredi Architects of Boston. In this composition the Main Street and 46th Avenue intersection is celebrated with a cylindrical tower on the west and a soaring two-story angled entry on the east. These horizontal and vertical elements are played against one another and topped off with colorful deco reliefs and stepped cornices.
- The District is highlighted by strings of festive lights reaching over 46th Avenue and the Theater Plaza, which features a fire pit, art-deco-inspired fountain and gracious drop-off and seating areas. When it opens, it will also feature Star Plaza, where Denver´s celebrities will be permanently honored with a Star in pavement.
- The core of this development is the Civic District at the intersection of 47th Avenue and Main Street. The northeast corner is the main gathering point — the place where visitors will get together to meet, talk, relax and mull over plans and purchases of the day.
- Civic Plaza is the centerpiece — a large grassed seating area with public art at one end and an interactive fountain at the other. The center´s public art pieces will enhance the area. This gathering space will feature a variety of outdoor events including small concerts, farmers markets and art shows while also providing a quiet place for socializing for everyday shoppers and office tenants.
- Here the three architecture firms have come together to design four major mixed-use buildings, which work together to create a dynamic intersection of two varied pedestrian spaces.
- A two-story office and retail building tastefully introduces a Colorado flair with its red masonry fac?ade.
- A two-story book store, is enlivened by a 30´-wide cast stone entry archway as well as richly detailed brick facades supported by pre-cast concrete beams and columns.
- Wonderful grassed lawn and deep walkways are enhanced by a kiosk, rolling carts, outdoor patios and a children´s sculpture play area.
- Two-story mixed-use building, which serves as the District´s back drop. Its soaring fac?ade is articulated by cleanly detailed brick pilasters that are topped off by an internally lit projecting cornice. The finely detailed brick facades are further enriched by a series of projected glazed entries that also provide overlooks for second-story users.
- The "Civic Building" will be a three-story mixed-use building of pristine glass featuring a fifty-foot-high arcade to provide a sense of closure and shading for those dining below.