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Architects: Roth Sheppard Architects
- Year: 2011
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Photographs:Frank Ooms
Text description provided by the architects. Roth Sheppard Architects is an architecture firm in Colorado with over two decades of experience. Principals Jeff Sheppard, AIA and Herb Roth, FAIA, and a growing young staff recently moved into their new office space, titled Temenos. Roth Sheppard Architects designed their workspace to marry their office’s established modern aesthetics with the fresh ideas of young clients and employees.
Temenos is a contemporary space created within a historic building. The brick and heavy timber building in LoDo, Denver’s Lower Downtown Historic District, was used advantageously by Roth Sheppard Architects without making its history the focus of their design. Instead, the new and old mix together harmoniously as a contemporary answer to their office needs.
The office is located within a long and narrow space, not disguised in the design. The proportions of the 35 foot wide by 115 foot long space are highlighted with the division of the 35 feet in three bays with an open spine through the center.
This central bay is the featured space within Temenos. Exposed heavy timber beams and columns line its entire length, and 15 foot sheer curtains hang behind the columns to give privacy to the designers in the outer bays. A 55 foot table is housed in the central bay and used as a gallery space, meeting table, and communal workspace.
Temenos is a white canvas with wood and metal accents through the space. Glass and sheer curtains keep the space open and friendly, while minimalist furniture and lighting compliment the narrow space with symmetrical, linear placements.
The 28 year old practice has avoided becoming outdated and continues to produce some of the most forward thinking works out of STATE. Temenos, which comes from the Greek work for ‘sacred space’, is an even more personal example of Roth Sheppard Architects’ architectural vision, seeing as it is their very own office. The space is simple, unique, and well executed, a testament to the history of the office as well as its current strength as a practice.
