Why Are New Buildings in Denver So Ugly?

They don’t make stuff like they used to…turns out that’s true for Denver’s buildings as well. Art Writer and Architecture critic Michael Paglia has written about the Mile High’s growth spurts over many decades for Westword, and he’s seen some multi-story highs and lows, architecturally speaking. Michael joins host Bree Davies to discuss the city’s built environment of the 21st century — the good, the bad, and the really, really ugly — while pointing out some of the bright spots in our architectural story.

Read some of Michael’s in-depth pieces for Westword on Denver’s Architecture, both good and bad: 

• “Ten of the Best New Buildings in Downtown Denver” (2019)
• “The Ten Worst 21st Century Buildings in Downtown Denver” (2015)
• “With the AIA Convention in Denver, A Look at Ten Architectural Gems” (2013)

Bree and Michael talk about the One River North building with the canyon in the middle, as well as these buildings (and here’s a lil’ map of them, if you wanna do a tour): 

• Prism - 999 17th Street
• Coloradan - 1750 Wewatta Street 
• Via - 828 Broadway
• 2785 Speer - 2785 Speer Boulevard

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