Portfolio | Projects & Clients | Awards | Design Process

Ellie Caulkins Opera House at the Denver Performing Arts Center

Denver, Colorado

As a part of Denver 's continuing renaissance, the city has embarked upon a master plan to enhance several key components of the downtown arts and entertainment district. A cornerstone of this plan is the home of Opera Colorado and the Colorado Ballet at the Denver Performing Arts Center. The original shell of the historic 1908 Auditorium Theater has come back to life with an entirely new interior - designed to house more intimate and technically advanced performance and performance support spaces as well as a greater variety of places for the public and patrons to gather in attending multiple types of events. Our scope of work for this $92 million project included all the public areas for the opera house as well as the Chambers Salon & Kevin Taylor Restaurant, rehearsal rooms, dressing rooms, green room, meet and greet private boxes, and façade.

Collaborating with Semple Brown Design Architects and Fisher Dachs Theater Consultants, HLB worked at many levels to support the team's vision for a dramatic yet enduring design. Inspired by the seemingly timeless moment when an icicle melts to become a gleaming vessel for Denver 's infamous sunlight - a series of decorative luminaires have become an integral part of the architectural layering of materials and light. Beginning with a central chandelier, the "ice" scatters into the auditorium as it becomes a part of the floating acoustical ceiling panels and continues to radiate out into the audience, and even as far as the lobby space beyond. Working closely with the custom lighting manufacturer and the architect's interiors team, a special glass type was created to bring just the right balance of both sparkle and glow.

And, shhhh, one more thing (it's sort of a secret), when it's time for the show to begin, the chandelier folds up and disappears.

The lighting design for this project has received and IIDA Award of Merit.