8 September 24 | StarRise PSH : Breaking Ground!
In 2020, a local philanthropist donated a 6.5-acre industrial property in Greeley, Colorado, to High Plains with a vision to create permanent housing for the homeless. Now, that vision is becoming reality as StarRise Apartments at North Weld Village.
8 AUGUST 24 | INTERNATIONAL W8 DAY
We’ve been bustling with activity for the last 36 months — moving to a new office in 2021, training a slew of new employees in the art and science of architecture, and working on several multifamily projects for esteemed clients like High Plains Housing Development Corp., Maiker Housing Partners, Loveland Housing Authority, Rainier Development, Denver Housing Authority, and Development Strategies (to name a handful). All this exciting work kept us away from our blog.
8 JULY 24 | W8 Team Updates
This summer is an exciting time for the WORKSHOP8 team including new arrivals and farewells. Last Monday, July 1, we celebrated with a team party at Zeal in Boulder to welcome and say goodbye to our evolving studio.
8 JUNE 24 | TOBY Around the World
The WORKSHOP8 team has had a busy year (including wrapping up construction on Sunset Apartments in Longmont, and the renovation of Casa Redonda De Vigil), but that hasn’t stopped us from getting out to travel! In the past year our team members have been fortunate enough to travel around the world, from Japan to Paris, […]
08 APRIL 23 | GATEWAY AWARDS!
Exciting news, old and upcoming for Gateway at Sun Valley! WORKSHOP8’s Gateway North, South, Townhomes, and Decatur Fresh won a Downtown Denver Award for its sustaining contribution to Denver in 2021. The Denver Housing Authority (DHA) was recognized last October during a ceremony at the Denver Art Museum and was in good company with Meow […]
18 MAR 23 | CRAZY 8
8 EIGHTS for 2023 SEE PAST CRAZY 8 POSTS HERE: 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2015 Fear not friends, we have not forgotten all of you, and apologies for it being so long (over a year!) since we have reached out. Hopefully, you have not forgotten us! As has been the tradition, we […]
08 JAN 22 | CRAZY 8
8 EIGHTS for January 8th, 2022 I like to snap photos of random (sometimes abstract) 8s as I make my way through life. This is my 7th almost-annual January 8th, CRAZY 8 post. See past CRAZY 8 posts here: 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2015 #1 Ice Pack “8” #2 Overspray […]
08 SEPTEMBER 21 | GATEWAY DEVELOPMENT
REMEMBER THESE? These renderings before construction on Gateway even started? NOW LOOK AT THE REAL THING! No, that is not a rendering– it’s the real thing! We are so happy to say that Gateway, a project we started in 2017 with Denver Housing Authority, has been completed and we sent Dane Cronin out to take […]
18 AUGUST 21 | CYCLISTS 4 COMMUNITY
ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END NO, NOT REALLY! Cycling will always be a great form of exercise, always be a great way to enjoy our natural environment, and always a great way to commute, hopefully avoiding having to drive your car! As long as cars and bikes share the same roads there […]
08 AUGUST 21 | INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP8 DAY
TIME FOR WORKSHOP8 TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY! Happy International WORKSHOP8 Day! In honor of 8/8, we take some time out of our daily grind to volunteer for causes that are near and dear to heart. In 2019, we donned our hard hats and helped Habitat for Humanity construct a triplex here in Boulder. […]
28 JULY 21 | GOODBYE CANDY SHOP
WE LEFT THE CANDY SHOP! On July 19th, we said goodbye to Brandy and Joseph’s office of over 10 years. The Candy Shop was a fun workplace with SO much character! We have moved to a bright and beautiful space in the Steelyards. We will post another blog about that on the next day that […]
08 JULY 21 | WHY ARE CONSTRUCTION COSTS SO HIGH RIGHT NOW?
Why is construction expensive right now? As time has passed since the beginning of the pandemic, construction materials become less readily available making their prices go up. This shortage has made the construction industry struggle to find materials that will fit within a normal budget. Fuel, copper, steel, aluminum, and lumber have all increased in […]
28 JUNE 21 | MATTHEW MURRAY <3
MATTHEW MURRAY, HERE’S TO YOU! Sadly, our dear WORKSHOP8 Alum and Olin Apartments Ring Leader passed away recently. Matthew Murray was a friend, veteran and hard worker. He worked at WORKSHOP8 for just over 2 years and ended up spearheading one of our hardest projects right before he left to work for another firm in […]
18 JUNE 21 | PRIDE AND JUNETEENTH!
HAPPY PRIDE MONTH Let us remember to always be true to ourselves and to stand up for people that we care about no matter what. Here’s to everyone who identifies as a part of the LGBTQ+ community! TOMORROW IS JUNETEENTH! If you aren’t familiar with this holiday – read our old blog post about Juneteenth […]
08 JUNE 21 | ASI, ADA, RFI…
ACRONYMS IN ARCHITECTURE PM: “As discussed at the OAC and as per VE the AP will send over a PR about the ADA Unit conversion required by the HA. The unit will now be an office and the AHJ has confirm that the separation does not need to meet NFPA rating as per 2018 IBC […]
28 MAY 21 | CELEBRATING OUR ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER DESIGNERS
MAY IS ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER MONTH Hey, do you all know that it is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month? I want to do my little part in showing support for Asian and Pacific Islanders who have and continue to enrich America’s history and are instrumental to our future success. Here is a little […]
18 MAY 21 | OLIN IS COMPLETE!!
OLIN HOTEL APARTMENTS Construction at the Olin Hotel Apartments has officially wrapped up and residents are settling in to their new and improved homes. When designing the interior, WORKSHOP8 focused on creating a warm, inviting, and safe space that references the Spanish Mission Style of the exterior. One of the best parts of a renovation […]
18 APR 21 | WHAT’S NEW, EGC 2020? PART I
ENTERPRISE GREEN COMMUNITIES 2020 During my time as a student in CU’s Environmental Design program, the word LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) was often thrown around – “LEED Gold building this” and “LEED Platinum certified that” could be heard as Professors shared case studies for sustainable buildings. I understood that LEED was a […]
08 APR 21 | HOW DO WE STAY CREATIVE?
CREATIVES STAYING INSPIRED TO CREATE As architects and designers, our job is to be creative in everything we do whether that is design, solutions, communication and teamwork, reading and interpreting documents, and so much more. How is it that we keep that creativity running 24/7? Do we have muses to keep us inspired? Some people […]
28 MAR 21 | LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
WELCOME TO HICKORY HOUSE While we were working on WORKSHOP8’s LOOK BACK series, Brandy came across an episode of World’s Greenest Homes on HGTV that she, Joseph and their home, Hickory House, were featured in. The episode is filled with 4 other environmentally friendly homes. Click the photo below to watch the episode! Hickory House […]
18 MAR 21 | LADIES, LADIES, LADIES
CELEBRATING WOMEN IN DESIGN In honor of Women’s History Month, we are celebrating women in design that inspire each of us. They will continue to inspire many other women to follow in their path of being lady bosses in their own way. Of course, it’s not only these women that inspire us, it’s every single […]
08 MAR 21 | CONNECTIONS AT 6TH
WE CROSSED THE FINISH LINE Whenever a project gets completed it’s always a bittersweet feeling; you’re happy that the work is over and the building can be used for its intended purpose, but it still leaves somewhat of a void in terms of the day to day communication with the other team members and client. […]
28 FEB 21 | LOOK BACK : 2003, 2002, 2001 & 2000
WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE? 2020 marks the 20 year anniversary of WORKSHOP8, and when it comes to celebrations, the W8 team goes all out. We are putting together a SCRAPBOOK page which will take us all the way back to WORKSHOP8’s inception in 2000 (when it was called VaST). Our blog series, “LOOK BACK,” […]
08 JAN 21 | CRAZY 8
8 EIGHTS for January 8th, 2021 I like taking photos of the number 8 (for various reasons) and we enjoy showing them to you for our first post of the year. Typically, Brandy and I capture 8’s from around the world during our travels, but due to COVID-19, this year is a compilation of 8’s […]
28 DEC 20 | A GR8 NEW YEAR AHEAD
WHAT WILL YOU CRE8TE IN 2021? We’re looking forward to see what we create together in 2021. Wishing our wonderful community of friends, family, clients, consultants, and vendors a healthy and prosperous New Year. As this NYE celebration will be different from past years, we’re sharing some easy crafts for you and your family at […]
18 DEC 20 | COLORADO GIVES DAY
W8 DONATES December 8th was Colorado Gives Day, where people all over Colorado are reminded to give back to our communities. This year Colorado Gives helped raise over $50 million collectively between all nonprofits in only 24 hours! WORKSHOP8 decided to join in on the giving. Check out the organizations each of us chose: ALEX […]
08 DEC 20 | WE PAINTED ANOTHER MURAL
“I SEE YOU” With the help of Boulder Creative Neighborhoods, we were selected to paint a mural on Jay Road in Gunbarrel! The Creative Neighborhoods Mural Program pairs homeowners with artists to create beautiful pieces of art in local neighborhoods. WORKSHOP8 loves doing murals, especially this year. We did quite a few of them in […]
28 NOV 20 | HAPPY THANKSGIVING
A SPECIAL THANKS From all of us at WORKSHOP8, Happy Thanksgiving! We are incredibly thankful for all of our clients, consultants and contractors during this especially strange year. Together we are able to make our community a better place to live. Happy Feasting! Sydney Angel | Architectural Designer 28 NOVEMBER 2020 SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave […]
18 NOV 20 | LOOK BACK : 2006, 2005, & 2004
WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE? 2020 marks the 20 year anniversary of WORKSHOP8, and when it comes to celebrations, the W8 team goes all out. We are putting together a SCRAPBOOK page which will take us all the way back to WORKSHOP8’s inception in 2000 (when it was called VaST). Our blog series, “LOOK BACK,” […]
08 NOV 20 | CELEBRITIES IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING
GEORGE LUCAS? JON BON JOVI? BRAD PITT? Most celebrities will start foundations to support causes close to their heart, but did you know that quite a few of them support and are very passionate about affordable housing? Thats right, just like us at WORKSHOP8! Either by creating foundations or simply creating awareness for the need […]
28 OCT 20 | TRAUMA INFORMED DESIGN
WHAT IS TRAUMA INFORMED DESIGN? WORKSHOP8’s main design focus is affordable housing and that means designing for all different kinds of people. When we can, we like to apply some Trauma Informed Design principles to make a space more welcoming and comfortable. But, what exactly does that mean? Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration […]
18 OCT 20 | LOOK BACK : 2009, 2008, & 2007
WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE? 2020 marks the 20 year anniversary of WORKSHOP8, and when it comes to celebrations, the W8 team goes all out. We are putting together a SCRAPBOOK page which will take us all the way back to WORKSHOP8’s inception in 2000 (when it was called VaST). Our blog series, “LOOK BACK,” […]
28 SEPT 20 | LOOK BACK : 2012, 2011, & 2010
WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE? 2020 marks the 20 year anniversary of WORKSHOP8, and when it comes to celebrations, the W8 team goes all out. We are putting together a SCRAPBOOK page which will take us all the way back to WORKSHOP8’s inception in 2000 (when it was called VaST). Our blog series, “LOOK BACK,” […]
8 MAY 20 | WATERPROOF YOUR BUILDING
A DRY BUILDING IS A HAPPY BUILDING Our office has been working remotely now for almost 2 months, and that also means that a lot of interesting webinars and opportunities for continuing education have been surfacing. Since I’m really interested in building science and have also been working on several projects lately that involve a […]
28 APR 20 | Infinite Walk of Peace
LET’S MAKE A MAP! BOULDER PEACE GARDEN HISTORY In 1988 Joseph Vigil, a second-year design student of CU Boulder at the time, entered a competition to design a garden as part of Boulder’s Sister City program. The garden would serve as a symbol of peace and friendship between Boulder and Dushanbe, Tajikistan – who gifted […]
18 FEB 20 | SOUNDHOUND : It’s a Wrap!
A FIRST LOOK AT SOUNDHOUND, BOULDER I consider myself somewhat of a “tech-junkie,” so when WORKSHOP8 was asked to help CBRE and SoundHound – a California-based tech company – in finding and designing a space that would become their new permanent Boulder office, I couldn’t have been more excited. I mean, how often do you get the […]
14 FEB 20 | HAVE AN INK-CREDIBLE DAY!
Happy Valentines Day!! Since the beginning of January our studio has been buzzing with the excitement of our favorite holiday, Valentine’s Day! Our annual Valentine mailing gives us the opportunity to let loose and get creative while appreciating our loyal clients, consultants, friends, and family who directly support WORKSHOP8 — it is because of you […]
08 JAN 20 | Crazy 8
8 eights for January 8th 2020 I like taking photos of the number 8, and we like to show them to you for our first post of the year. If you are interested in past years you can see them here: 2015, 2017, 2018 & 2019. The 8’s in this post are a compilation from […]
31 DEC 19 | EIGHT ARMS TO CHEERS
HAPPY NEW YEAR! This beautiful artwork of Champagne Toby was designed by Libyart Foundation out of Aspen, Colorado. By purchasing their greeting cards, you are supporting an ongoing fight with Cystic Fibrosis. Read Liby’s story here, and follow the link to make a contribution. Blasting off our final post for 2019! We look forward to […]
18 SEP 19 | 2019 Boulder Green Home Tour
CGBG 2019 BGHT Too early for acronyms on this Wednesday morning? Okay, let me break this one down for you because if you like peek around other people’s homes then this is a local Boulder event you don’t want to miss. Happening 10am – 4pm next Saturday, September 28th the Colorado Green Building Guild is hosting […]
28 JULY 19 | EXPLORATION
8 Values : 1 Vision 8 VALUES > 1 | ARTISTRY 2 | COLLABORATION 3 | EXPLORATION 4 | INTEGRITY 5 | LEADERSHIP 6 | PASSION 7 | SUSTAINABILITY 8 | VIABILITY 1 VISION > Inspire, enrich, and transform lives through great design. 3 | EXPLORATION We define EXPLORATION as “seeking “kaizen” through self-evaluation and group […]
28 MAY 19 | OUR NEW KITCHEN
We are very excited to show off our latest remodel to our office! Beginning in the Fall of 2018, Brandy and Joseph had decided it was time to update our office kitchen. The counter was beginning to warp severely, the floor wearing, and plumbing fixtures leaking. We had grown by 50% as an office since […]
28 APR 19 | RENDERING PERFECTION
8 Things I Look For In A Rendering One of my favorite things about being an architectural designer is creating renderings. It can be difficult to truly envision a building’s intent through language, plans, and elevations alone. But digital renderings are a great way to depict how a building is going to look. It is […]
8 APR 19 | INSPIRATION ARCHITECTURE
A Few of our Favorite Colorado-Based Designs Boulder County Courthouse – Brandy LeMae Clyfford Still Museum – Matthew Murray Chandelier Barn at the Lionsgate Event Center – Maris DuBois Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse – Chelsea Semelka NCAR Institute – Mitch Deans St. Malo’s Chapel – Cesar Gellido Steelbridge Annex – […]
28 MAR 19 | BOSS-LADIES
Celebrating Women in Design It is about time we celebrate all of the boss-ladies killing the game in the design industry, and as March is National Women’s History Month we thought this might be the perfect opportunity to do so. I asked the office to call out some of their favorite female icons in the […]