Our proposal for the point access block reimagines the space typically reserved for an additional corridor and stairwell, asking the question: what else could this space become? In a traditional two-stair, double-loaded corridor building, the extra corridor typically makes up 10 to 15 percent of the total floor area. We saw this 10 to15 percent as an opportunity for something more. Could these spaces become areas for community engagement, could they allow for access to natural light, or connections to Colorado’s stunning natural environment? In other words, how can we transform this leftover space into a better place to live?

Our design achieves this through several key strategies. First, it centralizes the building’s circulation and divides the massing into two distinct volumes. These two sections are centered around shared communal spaces, which double as circulation pathways. We thought of them as one large stoop, a series of places to congregate and circulate. The split massing design allows for natural light and ventilation on multiple sides of each home. Taking advantage of Colorado’s “300 days of sunshine” and its outdoor lifestyle. Additionally, the street-facing facade steps back from the street, creating a series of terraced balconies along the front and rear, further enhancing the connection to the outdoors. Each of the six floors of the building step or terrace to invoke a residential scale that doesn’t impose on the community. A double skin facade of blush colored terra cotta panels wrap the Cross Laminated Timber slabs. The fourteen unit building links together common ground to create a reimagined building typology for Denver’s urban setting.