Friday night 6th May 2011, University of Colorado’s College of Architecture presents their ideas for locating Studio Arts Boulder at the sacred Valmont Butte site. Studio Arts Boulder has a mission to bring the full body of studio arts to Boulder- expanding beyond its existing program of pottery and adding glass, lithography and metal studios.

Studio Arts Boulder- hoping for Boulder to build its own Anderson Ranch
The University of Colorado design build studio researched the Pottery Lab on University Hill in Boulder, met with city officials and researched studio models like Anderson Ranch in Aspen in order to capture the needs of both the artists and the city. Cities like Aspen attract artists year round for residences at Anderson Ranch. Studio Arts Boulder board had similar aspirations for the City of Boulder- Boulder becoming a destination for the arts and artists.

Exhibition of Student Design Proposals
The Friday night exhibition includes preparatory drawings, three precedent studies including Anderson Ranch, models and student recommendations for a future design-build collaboration between Studio Arts Boulder, CU’s College of Architecture and Planning, and the City of Boulder.

CU School of Architecture’s connection with BMOCA
Three years ago  CU Boulder’s design-build studio, in collaboration with BMOCA, implemented a renovation of the historic buildings entire ground floor- including their visitor services center, shop and main gallery moveable walls.  The project was part of an effort to gain full ADA compliance at BMOCA and update the building to suit its purpose- a home for contemporary art and conversation in Boulder.  CU Boulder and BMOCA both received accolades for the implementation.

The Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art is located at 1750 13th Street | Boulder, CO 80302 (between Canyon and Arapahoe).

The evening is made possible by the generosity of 3rd Street and love from Zoe Ma Ma.  Thank you to the City of Boulder’s Facilities and Asset Management department, Studio Arts Boulder, the College of Architecture and Planning at CU and BMOCA’s Young Artists at Work Summer 2011 program.

Highlights from the exhibition of Student Design Proposals: