"Denver's built environment faces a daunting contradiction presently in 2025: a surplus of empty office high-rises coexisting with an acute deficit of affordable housing. With nearly 40% of downtown office space vacant and a housing deficit of 30,000 units, the need for creative solutions is paramount. The problem, however, is that 90% of underutilized commercial towers are ineligible for easy residential conversion due to deep floorplates that restrict natural light."
"The conventional solution to adapt deep floorplates - extracting floor area from upper floors to create a central light well - is costly and undermines the goal of increasing housing supply. StudioLowe Design's Well-Ness Affordable Housing concept offers two innovative solutions, prototyped for Republic Tower, a 134,000-square-foot building that was nearly foreclosed in 2023. It advocates for the excavation of lateral light wells from existing floorplates, complemented by the conversion of all horizontal extensions into mirrored heliostatic surfaces."
Denver in 2025 faces nearly 40% downtown office vacancy and a 30,000-unit affordable housing deficit. Ninety percent of underutilized commercial towers have deep floorplates that block natural light, preventing straightforward residential conversion. StudioLowe Design's Well-Ness Affordable Housing prototypes conversion of Republic Tower, a 134,000-square-foot building, by excavating lateral light wells and converting horizontal extensions into mirrored heliostatic surfaces. Strategically distributed multi-story light wells improve natural light and ventilation for residential units while preserving rentable floor area. The approach can shorten construction by six to twelve months and cut costs up to 30% compared to new builds.
Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine
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