World-renowned MAD Architects is sharing new renderings and details of its newest U.S. project — One River North — a revolutionary biophilic-designed residential building in Denver’s vibrant RiNo neighborhood.
The project, located at 3930 Blake Street, broke ground in Fall 2021 and is slated for completion in Q4 of 2023. Situated at 40th and Blake Streets on the northeast edge of RiNo and near the 38th and Blake light rail station, One River North anchors a new wave of taller buildings shaping a bold new vision for Denver’s art-influenced RiNo district.
The project’s principal developers are The Max Collaborative, Uplands Real Estate Partners and Wynne Yasmer Real Estate. Denver-based Davis Partnership Architects is working in collaboration with MAD Architects and serving as the executive architect. Saunders Construction, is the general contractor for the project.
One River North blurs the lines between the built and natural environments, drawing from the rich Colorado landscape to echo the experience of climbing mountainous terrain. The 16-story building will include 187 for-lease residences and features 13,352 square feet of open-air amenity environments, including rippling water elements and a landscaped, trail-like walkway that traverses across four floors. Additionally, a 6,813-square-foot rooftop terrace, featuring a pool, spa and garden framed by dramatic Rocky Mountain views, will seamlessly blend the natural beauty at home with the landscape just beyond. One River North will include 7,995 square feet of ground-floor retail space.
The structure’s most striking feature, a 10-story landscaped rift that defines its exterior, is inspired by Colorado’s diverse biomes and recalls the experience of ascending from the foothills to the trail and canyon, to reaching the alpine plateau. This unparalleled experience increases resident views and blends nature into the urban landscape.
“One River North is the model for how we should be living, surrounding ourselves in the natural environment, bringing nature into our homes and creating authentic, biophilic experiences coupled with modern comforts and conveniences,” said Kevin Ratner, co-founder of The Max Collaborative. “The nature-inspired design by MAD Architects was influenced by Colorado’s legendary landforms and merges nature and architecture to inspire a well-balanced life. Its glass façade is likewise ribbed with louvers that regulate sunlight and soften its visual presence, shaping a serene retreat in the sky.”
“If we regard modern cities as man-made landscape on the earth, we need to design canyons, woods, creeks, and waterfalls, transforming concrete forests into second nature,” said Ma Yansong, MAD founder and principal partner.
One River North isn’t the first time the project’s developers have reimagined landscapes in Denver. The Max Collaborative and Uplands Real Estate Partners are both founded by members of the Ratner family following the sale of their previous company, Forest City Enterprises. Leaders in developing large-scale, mixed-use, public-private real estate, the Ratners were the visionaries behind Denver’s iconic Stapleton International Airport redevelopment, now Central Park, transforming it into one of the United States’ largest and most successful mixed-use projects with 12,000 residences, more than two-and-a-half million square feet of retail space, 400,000 square feet of office space and over 1,000 acres of parks and open space. Additionally, the team oversaw other landmark developments from coast to coast, including The Yards, a 42-acre redevelopment mixed-use community in Washington, DC, and the forthcoming Pier 70 mixed-use development in San Francisco. Zakhem Real Estate Group is also a member of the development team.
Founded in 2004, MAD Architects is a global studio that designs immersive environments that connect visitors to nature and prioritize emotional response to setting. One River North is MAD’s third project to break ground in the United States, joining the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which is currently under construction in Los Angeles, and Gardenhouse, which opened in Los Angeles in 2020.
Renderings courtesy of One River North
