Bluff Lake Nature Center operated for decades without shelter on the land it stewards, while serving over 100,000 visitors annually. Staff worked offsite. Visitors arrived without orientation. Programming happened with significant effort: staff hauled drinking water to the site for summer camp and events were held outdoors in inclement weather. BLNC’s mission is to advance environmental stewardship by connecting people to nature through education, conserving a vital urban habitat, expanding equitable outdoor access, and nurturing healthy, resilient communities and ecosystems. The design challenge was not simply to build a facility, but to do so in a way that honored the primacy of the landscape and the mission of the organization it serves.
Steve Scribner
Morgan Law
Bunny Tucker
Erica Robinson
Bluff Lake Nature Center
Howell Construction
Superbloom Landscape Architecture
Studio NYL
Resource Engineering Group
Cullen Lighting Studio
Elevation Consulting Group, LTD
Make West
HydroSystems
Cumming Group
4,710 sf
Denver, CO
- Metro Vision Award - Denver Regional Council of Governments
- 2026 AIA Colorado Design Award Honorable Mention: Sustainability Recognition
“From the beginning, Shape has been an incredible partner, really making sure to understand and lift up BLNC’s mission, program needs, and staff input. As the Executive Director of a small nonprofit, Shape is exactly the kind of firm I was looking for, who could truly be a part of our collaborative team and ensure that we can create something awesome together!”
– Rachel Hutchens
Bluff Lake Nature Center Executive Director
“I have seen so many building designs for Bluff Lake over the years, and this is the first one that really honors what Bluff Lake is.”
– Bluff Lake Nature Center Volunteer
“I’m so thrilled that people are really excited and have voiced how clear it is that the design team is really listening to what BLNC is saying and understands who we are and what our vibe is!”
– Bluff Lake Nature Center Staff Member
Designed as an all-electric, net-zero energy facility, and a recipient of the City of Denver’s Electrification Grant, the project avoided the introduction of new gas infrastructure entirely. A photovoltaic array, high-efficiency electric mechanical systems, continuous energy recovery ventilation, and an airtight, high-performance envelope work together to achieve net-zero energy performance. Material and structural choices reinforce these goals: a low-carbon mass timber frame is left exposed throughout, natural ash wood siding will weather honestly, and deep overhangs provide shade and shelter. Native plantings, rain gardens, natural stone seating, and wildlife-sensitive lighting complete a resilient site strategy rooted in long-term environmental responsibility.
The design team, in collaboration with the client, completed a three-month Community Engagement phase prior to design to understand the needs of the surrounding communities. The team asked ‘how do we create a process and a design where everyone feels welcome?’ and ‘how can we expand the reach of the organization to bring more people together and improve equitable access to nature?’ One outcome was a new accessible pathway descending through the bluff to the lower landscape, with stairs intersecting at each switchback, so multigenerational families and visitors of all mobility levels move through the site together, not along separated and steeply sloped routes that previously existed.
Perhaps most significantly, the project gives Bluff Lake Nature Center staff a permanent home on the land for the first time. The open office and conference rooms feature sweeping views to the lower landscape, lake, and city beyond, as well as direct views to the front range peaks. An outdoor workshop area enclosed by reused shipping containers completes the functionality of their new headquarters, providing staff with the tools and spaces they need to maintain, monitor, research, and expand access to Denver’s only nature preserve.
