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 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 […]
8 JUN 20 | GATEWAY UPDATES!
LARGE PROJECTS TAKE A LONG TIME One of my favorite parts about architecture is seeing a building come to life as it is constructed. In September 2017 we started design work on 3 projects that we treated as one; Gateway North (96 units), Gateway South (92 units) and Gateway Rowhomes (6 townhomes). In early 2019, […]
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 […]
18 AUG 19 | ARTS STREET
Introducing Arts Street @ YEA Arts Street is a non-profit organization that we have had the pleasure of coordinating with on three of our projects: Gateway North, Gateway South, and The Aerie Apartments. Founded in 1995, Arts Street’s mission is to help low-income, high-risk youth channel their artistic talents into professional activities. Their programming encourages […]
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 MAR 19 | 7 MONTHS IN 2 MINUTES
Fall River in Action Construction is underway, and we are very excited to see the progress of Fall River in Longmont, Colorado. Fall River is the second phase of the Prairie Village Affordable Senior Living project WORKSHOP8 is designing for the Longmont Housing Development Corporation (LHDC). The speed at which a building of this size […]
28 FEB 19 | THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO
We Appreciate You. WORKSHOP8 loves working with mission-driven clients. We do good work for those who do good. Many of our clients are Housing Authorities and Non-Profit Developers who advocate for and provide affordable housing and programs to individuals living below the median income, seniors, and veterans. They often collaborate with HUD — the United States Dept. […]
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 […]
18 MAY 15 | the babies are booming!
Images from the 1950s. The young women of today could learn a thing or two about fashion from the 1950s. What is a Boomer? If you were born between 1946 and 1964 (like my parents), then you already know you too are affectionally referred to as a baby boomer. According to the Center for Housing […]
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 […]
28 JUNE 14 | permit in hand!
Building permit for Mariposa Phase VI has been received and the project will break ground in July, with an expected completion date of August 7th, 2015. I can’t wait to see the project start going up, that is the most fun part of my job! The $16.000,000 building will house 94 residential units and 2,200 SF of commercial space, […]
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. […]
8 FEB 14 | W8 heart YOU
Wishing you a sweet 2014 Valentines Day! C Joseph Vigil IV architect jv DeSousa architect Ulla Lange interior designer V Brandy LeMae managing partner Ugljesa Janjic architect Ann Marie Jackson interior designer Nathan Stark architectural designer Emily Axtman intern architect Graham Bowman intern architect Alex Chavez intern architect Gaby Crespo intern architect In the last 12 […]
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, […]
18 JAN 13 | new model for affordable housing
W8 UPDATE / 18 January 2013 [divider style=”style1″ width=”full” align=”left”] paisano green community featured in the January/February issue of green building and design magazine (gb&d) “Paisano Green Community is one of the most unique and colorful affordable-housing projects in the country—it’s also one of the greenest. . .” read the full article here. V Brandy LeMae, […]
18 DEC 12 | beyond grab bars and roll-in showers
W8 UPDATE / 28 December 2012 [divider style=”style1″ width=”full” align=”left”] take aways from the 2012 Leading Age annual meeting & exposition In October, Leading Age—an association for not-for-profit and consumer organizations, research partners and foundations—held their annual meeting in Denver. I attended many interesting seminars that offered insight to the ever more expanding market of […]
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 […]
18 OCT 12 | trends in multifamily housing
W8 UPDATE / 18 October 2012 [divider style=”style1″ width=”full” align=”left”] news from the 2012 Multifamily Executive Conference in Las Vegas Over the last three years I have attended several AIA and affordable housing conferences across the U.S. (Washington DC, Miami, New Orleans, Vail, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas). My last trip to Las Vegas […]