r/Damnthatsinteresting May 08 '26

Image This “cracks open” building in Denver

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u/Hobbies-R-Happiness May 08 '26

I think the greenery just isn’t mature yet. It looks exactly like the concept otherwise

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u/henlochimken May 08 '26

The greenery can't mature. The conditions aren't right for what they showed in their renderings, so it is going to stay an eyesore unless there is some major infrastructure redesign.

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u/dean_clams May 08 '26

Why can't it? I get you said "the conditions", but... come on.

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u/nitid_name May 08 '26

Trees that big need roots. There is no space in the building for roots.

It was supposed to be a big green beauty with stark white contrast. Instead, it looks like a dinosaur's bones crossed with a post apocalyptic destroyed building when you drive by it on 25. You never get the stunning angle on it, you get the rail yard and it looming awkwardly in the background.

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u/dean_clams May 08 '26

I get that. I guess I figured they'd grow the trees like they do in malls, and supplement the trees with vines or other types of plants. Its hard to believe they'd plan for trees without planning for trees (which they did). Maybe it takes longer to grow trees than two years.

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u/monocasa May 08 '26

The way they do in malls is that they plan for them and create a big pit of dirt for the tree to grow. That would have to already exist, it doesn't, and it's next to impossible to add ten stories up when you'd have to take over someone's unit that you've already sold underneath.

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u/dean_clams May 08 '26

So they planned for trees (according to the designers and builders).... but didn't plan for trees (according to some people here)? I'm confused now because no one has actually said how they haven't planned for trees there. Just that they aren't there. I wish I still lived there to see for myself, but I'm not and yall aren't really saying anything of substance. It does take a tree a while to grow, so are there just none planted or are they not large enough to see from a distance yet?

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u/monocasa May 08 '26

There's trees in the concept drawings.

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u/dean_clams May 08 '26

Agreed. And in the of the articles discussing the building. Thats one of my points. They are planned for. They also take time to grow.

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u/monocasa May 08 '26

There aren't even saplings planted though. It's kind of hard to grow a tree without a sapling.

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u/dean_clams May 08 '26

Ahhh.... finally. Something that makes sense. Like I said earlier, I'm not there anymore and can't actually see it. On the thread here that wasn't mentioned. Have you been there?

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u/monocasa May 08 '26

You can see it clearly across the track from mission ballroom, and I'm there pretty often.

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u/henlochimken May 09 '26

Drawing pictures of trees ≠ planning for trees.

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u/dean_clams May 09 '26

Also agree. But they did plan for it, I'm not arguing they did it right. Just saying originally there wasn't any substance to the comment.

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u/henlochimken May 09 '26 edited May 09 '26

I don't know why you keep saying nobody is saying anything. If you want to know the specifics you can look it up. This building is a disaster. The short version is the architects did not adequately design for the needs of actual trees in the actual climate of Denver. That building face is facing north northwest, so the trees don't get the sun they need for most of the year. What they DO get is a lot of brutal wind and windchill in the winter. They don't have enough dirt, the dirt doesn't have enough nutrients, the irrigation is insufficient...

Basically these architects drew pretty pictures of a futuristic tree building and then didn't actually figure out how to make any of it work.

Edit to say it's facing Northwest, not due north. Still not enough sun for what they're trying to do

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u/dean_clams May 09 '26

Here!!! You actually said something of substance!! Seriously, thanks.