The National Western Center (NWC) redevelopment is a collaboration between the City and County of Denver, Colorado State University (CSU), the National Western Stock Show Association, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and History Colorado. The reimagined vision, outlined in depth in the 2015 Master Plan, will double the grounds that have been home to the National Western Stock Show for over 110 years, while adding new buildings and functionality for year-round activity and events.
“The National Western center celebrates the pioneering spirit and promise of the West through year-round experiential life-long learning, the arts, entertainment, competition, and commerce.”
– National Western Center Vision Statement
During the visioning and planning process, the Institute for the Built Environment at CSU used the LENSES Framework to design and guide workshops focused on creating guiding principles. The nine guiding principles serve as the foundation for the NWC vision, informing goals and decisions as the project moves through design, construction, and beyond. A working group, called ReNEWW (Regeneration of Nature, Energy, Water, and Waste), will serve the project during design and construction as an integral part of the overall process. ReNEWW helps to steward the vision and provides guidance for realizing the principle of “Embrace an Ethic of Regeneration,” which is especially important as the team faces the immense challenges of implementation a project of this scale and complexity. Visit their website here for a more in-depth view, get updates, or even ask questions about the development.
