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person sitting under a red umbrella at a cafe within the mixed-used development surrounded by poplar trees and mounds of blue fescue grasses

bird's eye rendered view illustrating how the new development sits adjacent to the train tracks with a distant view of the Denver city skyline

view looking out of an open garage door window of a office space towards the interior, shaded courtyard space and cafe

a person walks in front of the Taxi 2 building past repurposed bin block seats and the tall grasses of the rain garden. The asphalt paving is striped with white paint marking the pedestrian zone.

Two images - Image 1) a linear drain grate leads into a rain garden filled with pink and yellow flowers and young cottonwood trees; Image 2) a rain garden filled wit grasses and yellow flowers sits between parking bays within the development

plan rendering and water diagram of the Taxi 2 and Flight buildings illustrating the locations of porous landscape infiltration, swales, and green roofs that support the trees and native vegetation of the development

People working in the Taxi 2 neighborhood walk past repurposed bin blocks used for seating along the stipe-painted, curbless, asphalt street and parking area

People enjoy drinks on the rooftop patio, with orange accents, of the Flight building.

the green grasses of the green roof against the metal- and glass-sided building

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TAXI Redevelopment

Denver, CO

Former taxi dispatch center transforms into one of Denver’s edgiest urban developments.

The TAXI 2 Redevelopment project transformed the site of a former taxi dispatch center, within a light-industrial neighborhood along the South Platte River, into a thriving, high-density, mixed-use community. Previously a landfill, the site was extremely flat, and traditional piped stormwater drainage around the new building would be costly. With the project well underway, the developer engaged Wenk Associates to rethink the landscape and develop more innovative and cost-effective solutions to the site’s infrastructure challenges.

The new site strategy was a holistic approach that integrated the multi-use outdoor spaces with the site’s stormwater infrastructure to create flexible spaces that can be used for everyday leisure as well as events, and that encourages activity throughout the workday and evening. Stormwater gardens infiltrate runoff from buildings and paved areas to create native landscapes that reflect the South Platte River ecosystem.

Curbless streets and painted stripes blur the lines between parking and pedestrian circulation to create safe, walkable streets and plaza areas. Recycled site materials, such as binblocks, were used to provide seating and control vehicle access while reflecting the neighborhood’s industrial context.

The TAXI development has expanded through multiple phases to include diverse housing types, office spaces, and community amenities, all supported by the unique stormwater landscape.

Project Team:

Taxi 2
Wenk Associates – Landscape Architect
Will Bruder & Partners Ltd. Associate Architect – Building Massing and Materials
David Baker & Partners Associate Architect – Residential Unit Design
Alan Eban Brown Architects Associate Architect – Owners’ Representative
Harry Teague Architects – Associate Architect
York Engineering Services – Civil Engineer
Mortenson Construction Company – General Contractor
Designscapes – Landscape Contractor

Flight Building
Dynia Architects
Wenk Associates – Landscape Architect, Green Roof

 

Client

Zeppelin Development

Completion Year

2007, Taxi 2

2018, Flight Building

Awards

2007, City of Denver Mayor’s Design Awards, Design Excellence for “Density by Design”: TAXI 2 Redevelopment, Denver, CO

2008, AIA, Denver Council, Honor Award for Design: TAXI 2 Redevelopment, Denver, CO

2009, ASLA Colorado/Wyoming Chapter, Merit Award for Design and Land Stewardship Award: TAXI 2 Mixed-Use Redevelopment, Denver, CO

2018, AIA Colorado Award of Merit & Notable in Denver: Flight Building, Taxi Campus, Denver, CO

Landscape Architecture Foundation - Landscape Performance Series

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