Nominating companies: Kuraray and Millet Glass Industry
Location: Denver, Colorado
Winning team
- Glass fabricator: Millet Glass Industry
- Glass manufacturer: Vitro Architectural Glass
- Glazing contractor: Alliance Glazing Technologies
- Interlayer supplier: Kuraray
- Structural engineer: Jirsa Hedrick
- General contractor: Saunders Construction
- Architects: MAD Architects / Davis Partnership Architects
- Photo credit: Baptiste Yang
One River North, a mixed-use development that includes apartments, redefines the boundaries of glass architecture through the bold integration of a sculpted “living canyon” carved into the façade of the tower. The carved canyon, a signature design element, reimagines how architecture can blend urban living with organic forms, say company officials. This design element required close collaboration between structural and design teams, as the glazing system had to adapt to varying angles, setbacks and open-air garden terraces throughout the vertical void. This feature introduced a range of complex geometries that pushed the boundaries of traditional curtain wall design, say Millet Glass officials.
Glazing consultants and fabricators were brought in early during the design development phase, allowing for real-time feedback and refinements. Despite the challenges, ranging from pandemic-related delays to the complexities of the canyon’s form, the project team overcame them through a shared commitment to innovation, safety and excellence in execution.
The façade required highly customized glazing units—many with unique shapes and dimensions—designed not only for aesthetics but also for high performance and occupant safety. The canyon void includes open-air terraces and sky gardens that function as communal areas, requiring the use of advanced laminated systems that offer safety without sacrificing transparency or views.
The façade is fully clad with insulating glass, offering thermal performance, allowing natural light to flood the interiors and framing spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains. In elevated outdoor areas, SentryGlas interlayers by Kuraray were used for their exceptional post-breakage strength, ensuring safety without compromising transparency or aesthetics. All glass units were fabricated by Millet Glass Industry, using glass manufactured by Vitro Architectural Glass. This project not only pushes the limits of what is structurally and visually possible with glass but also demonstrates how glazing systems can support both architectural expression and occupant well-being, say Kuraray officials.
One River North challenges the norms of glass application in high-rise construction and demonstrates how glazing can become a tool for biophilic design and urban storytelling.
“To bring such an idea to life requires a synergistic vision and compatibility across an enormous amount of trades,” says Glass Magazine Awards judge Pete de Gorter, vice president, DeGorter Inc. “A design and implementation this bold isn’t possible without the highest of functioning teams.”
