8 May 25 | WORKSHOP8 News
Our Stories. April 9 to May 8, 2025 at WORKSHOP8 : Fair Housing, a fire at North Weld Village, construction updates, a Cinco de Mayo birthday, and using AI to turn Tashi into an octopus—we’ve got plenty to share.Check us out on Instagram and Facebook for more. Announcements. The Fair Housing Act was signed into law in April 1968. Everyone deserves […]
8 October 24 | Jacoby Meadows: Breaking Ground!
On August 14th, 2024, Jacoby Meadows officially broke ground in a ceremony filled with excitement and community pride. The event marked an important milestone for Windsor as it moves forward in addressing the need for affordable housing.
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.
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
08 MAY 21 | WAY MORE THAN WAYFINDING
WAY·FIND·ING noun Wayfinding, as defined by SEGD, is information systems that guide people through a physical environment and enhance their understanding and experience of the space. “the hospital uses color to assist with wayfinding” At WORKSHOP8, wayfinding is more than just giving direction. It adds a whole other aspect to the built environment that serves […]
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. […]
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 AUG 20 | FALL RIVER PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
THANKS TO OUR PEERS AND FRIENDS FOR VOTING! I’m proud to announce that Fall River was awarded the Housing Colorado People’s Choice Eagle Award on July 30th. These lovely new exterior shots were captured by Dane Cronin Photography. Read previous posts to see interior shots and get the full story: 18 MAR 20 | This is Affordable […]
8 AUG 20 | INTERNATIONAL W8 DAY
Huzzah ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 8/8 | International WORKSHOP8 Day! The best day of the year is here! (Although it feels like March the 143rd since the studio set up satellite offices at home due to COVID-19). Nonetheless, as we celebrate another turn around the sun I wanted to bring you […]
18 MAR 20 | FALL RIVER GRAND OPENING
This is Affordable Housing Residents are officially moved into Fall River and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the outcome. We started this project with the Longmont Housing Authority in 2014, shortly after completing Spring Creek – Fall River’s neighboring senior housing development. We had the advantage of being able to talk to residents of […]
28 FEB 20 | CONSTRUCTION CRAZE
CRAZY ABOUT CONSTRUCTION Recently it seems that we’ve had some oddly quiet days around here. No group laughter, no chip crunching or soda water slurping. Just, quiet – which is weird for our open studio. And then it dawned on me; everyone is busy working on construction sites! As many of our larger projects are […]
8 AUG 19 | A YEAR IN REVIEW
Hip Hip Hooray! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 8/8 | International WORKSHOP8 Day! The best day of the year is here! As we celebrate another turn around the sun, I wanted to bring you up to speed with the goings-on at our studio over the past 12 months. Grab a coffee, a beer, […]
8 JUL 19 | DENVER – IT’S LIT
MARIPOSA: URBANISM REIMAGINED Denver doesn’t fall short of exciting events in the summertime, and we’d like to add another fun one to your calendars. On Wednesday, July 17th, come join Downtown Colorado Inc., the Denver Housing Authority, Brandy LeMae, and more as they discuss the Mariposa Neighborhood Redevelopment project. The Denver Housing Authority’s Mariposa Redevelopment […]
18 MAY 19 | GATEWAY UNDERWAY
Moving Dirt. January 8th, 2019 was a big day for WORKSHOP8 and the Sun Valley Gateway team. This marked the first official on-site OAC for the Sun Valley Gateway North and South Redevelopment project. I still remember the excitement of receiving the news that we were chosen to design these buildings for the Denver Housing […]
8 MAY 19 | ARTISTRY
8 Values : 1 Vision At the end of 2018, our VP, Marcel van Garderen, issued an employee satisfaction survey. Now, every Monday during our team scrum we discuss one of the questions. A couple of weeks back, one of those questions prompted a conversation about WORKSHOP8’s values and vision which spiraled into me creating […]
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 AUG 18 | Celebr8te!
Hip Hip Hooray! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 8/8 | It’s International WORKSHOP8 Day! The best day of the year is here! As we celebrate another ring around the sun I wanted to bring you up to speed with the goings-on at our studio over the past 12 months. Check out our portfolio of completed projects, projects […]
8 MAR 18 | news from the Gateway
Gateway at Sun Valley For the last few months, our studio has had the feeling of a kid’s dreamland of legos, play dough, and finger paint, but the version for grown up design geeks (because basically, that’s what we are). We’ve had to amp up the snack supply around the office because we’ve all been spending a little extra time […]
8 AUG 17 | International W8 Day
Huzzah ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 8/8. . . the best day of the year is here! It’s International WORKSHOP8 Day! To celebrate this momentous occasion, I wanted to bring you up to speed with the goings-on at our studio over the past 12 months, as well as share with you some things you maybe did not […]
28 FEB 17 | introducing Spring Creek
SPRING HAS SPRUNG Well, okay, maybe not quite yet. But we did just get glamor shots of Spring Creek Apartments taken and we can’t wait to share them with you! Ryan Lawrence handled the photography on this one. EXTERIOR Let’s not forget that not too long ago, this is what Spring Creek looked like! I took […]
18 OC 16 | flying high
drones and architecture Yes, we’re in Colorado, no, we’re not talking about weed. We’re talking about drones! And architecture. Two of Ivan’s favorite things (besides muscle cars, but that’s another blog for another day). A few weeks ago, when we were anticipating the opening of the Aerie, we were talking about how OUTRAGEOUSLY COOL it would […]
8 OCT 16 | Spring Creek grand opening October 12th
spring creek I love starting new projects, but I get a ton of satisfaction out of seeing our projects come to fruition. Last week, on September 28th, our entire team attended the grand opening for DHA’s The Aerie. Next week, on October 12th, Longmont Housing Development Corporation’s Spring Creek will celebrate its grand opening, and you are invited! […]
18 AUG 16 | introducing the Aerie
aerie: “a lofty nest of a big bird” “a house or fortress on a hill” It’s built! We’ve worked on all aspects of this project, from architecture to art and signage and interiors and furniture selection, pretty intensively for the past couple of years, and this baby, the Aerie, is finally ready for roosting! thanks for reading […]
8 AUG 16 | all about that 8
Huzzah ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! It’s International WORKSHOP8 Day! 8/8. . . the best day of the year is here again! To celebrate this momentous occasion, we wanted to bring you up to speed with the goings-on at our studio over the past 12 months, as well as share with you some things you […]
8 JUN 16 | what’s in a name?
HOW WE NAME BUILDINGS from left to right: Carmen Joseph Vigil III, Carmen Joseph Vigil V, Carmen Joseph Vigil II, and Carmen Joseph Vigil IV MY NAME I have one of the most awesome names in the universe. . . Velvet Brandy Delicia LeMae. My mom gets credit for the first three. She told me […]
28 JAN 16 | does size really matter?
what’s the deal with micro housing anyway? Living small may seem like a new trend, but it really isn’t. Remember that college dorm room you lived in or the first studio apartment you rented after college? Living small could free you up from being buried by too much stuff and give you the opportunity get […]
8 MAR 15 | making good on a promise
Without our clients and colleagues, we wouldn’t get to do what we love and we wouldn’t have the opportunity live our mission to “inspire, transform, and enrich lives through design.” I can truly say, that each and every project is important to us, and we try our hardest to give everything we can to each […]
28 OCT 14 | lines, and tax credits, and bears! oh my!
I know, tax credit financing isn’t exactly what comes to mind for most people when they think “Ohhhhhhh, that’s exciting!” But when it helps convert good design into efficient and comfortable housing that is accessible to people from all walks of life, it’s pretty durn exciting. This summer, WORKSHOP8 was lucky to assist two mission-driven developers […]
28 JUL 14 | cracking the walnut
2037 Walnut is one of the first projects I was involved in at WORKSHOP8. The 26-unit, courtyard-style apartment building, which is owned and managed by Element Properties, was built in the early 1980s and in need of repair and remodeling. Before… As you can see in the existing condition photos, the building was a bit […]
18 MAY 14 | it’s raining awards
Summer has arrived and we’ve kicked it off in style! Alex, Gaby, and Graham have all graduated from CU Environmental Design! This summer, Alex will TA a class in La Paz Mexico before starting his graduate studies at UC Denver. Gaby is taking time to recuperate from four years of hard work at architecture school. […]
8 APR 14 | beefcake architects
[divider style=”style1″ width=”full” align=”center”] How handsome are these three men? Joseph, Kaku and jv are in the current issue of Modern in Denver. Pick up your issue at a location listed here or subscribe so it comes right to your house. The article is titled “Room for All” is about affordable housing design in Denver. […]
18. DEC 13 | south lowell glam shots
Back in August, I shared some construction photos with you of the South Lowell Apartments, for the Denver Housing Authority. Just in time for the holidays, I have some final “glam shots” to share. South Lowell took a 1970’s era, courtyard style apartment building, in need of intense repair, and re-vamped the existing 68 units, […]
8 JUL 13 | affordable housing design winners 2013
W8 UPDATE / 8 July 2013 [divider style=”style1″ width=”full” align=”left”] MFA Announces 2013 Affordable Housing Design Winners WORKSHOP8’s Las Cruces CROSS\TOWN station receives 2nd place. Our tireless team provided master planning, site planning, architecture and graphic services for the developer, Thomas Development Group in association with Tierra del Sol Housing Corporation. Last year our design […]
8 NOV 12 | paisano green community receives AIA design award
W8 UPDATE / 8 November 2012 [divider style=”style1″ width=”full” align=”left”] WORKSHOP8 receives citation award from AIA Colorado WORKSHOP8 received a Citation Award for Built Architecture from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Colorado for Paisano Green Community. Winners were recognized on Saturday, November 3 during a presentation at the Keystone Conference Center. Sixteen architectural awards […]
28 OCT 12 | HUD energy study
W8 UPDATE / 28 October 2012 [divider style=”style1″ width=”full” align=”left”] WORKSHOP8 and Sustainably Built co-author white paper for HUD “Beyond IECC 2009 Paisano Green Community” WORKSHOP8’s high profile Paisan Green Community project, has been presented at several conferences across the US, most notably at HUD’s Going Green: Intelligent Investment for Public Housing conference in Boston […]
8 AUG 12 | first professional photos of paisano green community
W8 UPDATE / 8 August 2012 [divider style=”style1″ width=”full” align=”left”] It’s 8/8 today–a very special day for WORKSHOP8 indeed–so what better day to share our brand new, professional photos of the Paisano Green Community in El Paso Texas. ENJOY PAISANO GREEN COMMUNITY RESIDENTS’ BUILDING, AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS THE “JEWEL BOX”. STILL WAITING FOR SOME ROOF […]
8 JUN 12 | affordable housing design winners 2012
W8 UPDATE / 8 June 2012 [divider style=”style1″ width=”full” align=”left”] MFA Announces 2012 Affordable Housing Design Winners See additional renderings of the project on our Peachtree Canyon Renderings Board on Pinterest. Peachtree Canyon Receives Third Place in the 2012 Low Income Housing Tax Credit Design Competition for the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority Peachtree Canyon […]