DENVER CENTRAL LIBRARY

Denver, CO

This post-modern library, one of the largest in the US, is located catacorner to the Denver Art Museum, both sketched on the same June morning. Post-modern design uses traditional architectural motifs in abstracted forms, materials and colors from the past. The Denver Central Library is the flagship building of the Denver Public Library System.

The seven-story, half-million square-foot structure was designed by architect Michael Graves. It is exemplary of his cubist-inspired oeuvre, noticeably inspired by La Corbusier. Most of his building designs have bold cube-shapes, and very regular patterns of punched window openings. Notice all of the cubes in this composition. Graves was also the designer of the Swan and Dolphin Hotels in Disney World, and more commercially, the recognizable Target red spheres and pylons. The library is finished with limestone and pre-cast concrete with copper accents throughout. The design stands in stark contrast to Libeskind’s wild, unordered and irregular Art Museum across the street.