丹佛“One River North”住宅项目——MAD建筑师事务所
designboom interviews ma yansong as MAD architects completes 'one river north' in denver
由专筑网韩慧慧,小R编译
MAD建筑师事务所设计了One River North住宅项目,位于科罗拉多州丹佛市,目前已完工。该住宅有16层,其正立面上设计有一个“巨大裂缝”,寓意城市发展与自然环境相互融合,且重新定义了城市的综合性建筑概念。One River North住宅的设计宗旨是为住户提供自然景观,该设计灵感来源于科罗拉多州凹凸不平的山区地形。MAD建筑事务所的首席设计师和负责人为马岩松,他设想该住宅楼是居民可以攀登探索的峡谷地带。马岩松说:“大家可以想象下,人们住在住宅中,就像是住在峡谷中一样,被自然景观包围。”
住在One River North住宅内的居民可从6层的峡谷小径直达9层,路径上可感受洞穴般的自然景观,内部景观布置受到科罗拉多峡谷和落基山脉景观的启发,这两个地方的自然景观是美国的奇观。这几层中还设计有水景,水流倾泻而下,产生水流声,舒缓美妙,甚至在建筑边上的街道都可听到。设计师甚至将建筑结构与自然环境联系起来,设计巧妙。designboom 采访了首席设计师马岩松,让其详细剖析了该项目的设计要点和产生的社会影响。
MAD Architects celebrates the completion of One River North, its latest residential tower with a ‘cracked-open canyon’ facade in Denver, Colorado. The sixteen-story glass building, cut open with a sculptural crevice, reflects a blend of urban development and natural landscape, redefining mixed-use architecture in the heart of the city. One River North is designed to offer residents the experience of living in a natural landscape, inspired by Colorado’s rugged mountain terrain. Ma Yansong, lead architect and principal at MAD Architects, envisions the building as a canyon residents can explore. ‘Imagine living in a building yet feeling as though you’re immersed in a natural landscape — like living within a canyon itself,’ he says.
Residents can traverse the cavernous feature, which extends from the sixth to the ninth floor. Along the way, they encounter spaces influenced by Colorado’s canyons and rocky mountains, among the most dramatic landscapes in the U.S. Water cascades through these levels, creating a soothing sound that reaches even the street below, while further connecting the structure to its natural surroundings. designboom interviews lead architect Ma Yansong to dissect the project’s design and influences.
MAD建筑师事务所设计的One River North住宅旨在展现出丹佛的自然景观以及居民积极向上生活的现象。该项目位于River North艺术区(RiNo),该区域发展较为曲折,从一开始的工业中心转变为现在的户外活动中心,且与周围城市的文化发展慢慢相统一。设计师的设计灵感部分来源于场地周围的山脉景观和峡谷景观,立志设计一个融入自然景观气息的城市住宅楼。该建筑最终的设计方案除了有奇特的建筑外观外,还能够容纳尽可能多的居住人口,满足丹佛市高密度住宅的规范需求。One River North住宅主打健康生活、勇于探索自然,还满足在城市社区中漫步的需求,在住宅内还设计有无障碍,给住户提供各种便利。
该住宅楼由两大功能区组成,分别是住宅单元和商业空间,建筑共16层,底层为9000平方英尺的商业空间,其余15层为出租居住单元,共187个出租单元。MAD建筑师事务所设计该住宅楼时,将一些外部使用的材料和景观植被置入建筑内部,使得室内外之间的联系得到加强。One River North住宅的设计核心是“峡谷裂缝”,建筑师将其设计成4层通高的公共空间,内置景观,可让住户联想起峡谷中的自然地理侵蚀现象。该区域内设计有超过13000平方英尺的自然景观,包括景观露台、水景、丹佛和周围山脉一些出名的景观等,整体感受美妙绝伦。设计师还将科罗拉多峡谷内的景观再现到了建筑“峡谷”中,让住户有多重室外体验感。
With One River North, MAD Architects seeks to reflect the dramatic natural surroundings and active lifestyle of Denver. Situated in River North Art District (RiNo), a district that has undergone significant transformation from an industrial hub to a center for artists and outdoor lovers, the project aligns with the neighborhood’s culture. The architects took inspiration from the surrounding mountains and canyons to design a structure that brings a sense of nature into the city. In addition to its visual impact, the building addresses the demand for high-density housing in Denver. One River North’s design encourages wellness, exploration, and a connection to nature, while also promoting a walkable and accessible lifestyle in an urban neighborhood.
The building consists of 187 rental units across fifteen floors, with 9,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space that integrates seamlessly into the streetscape. MAD Architects’ design allows exterior materials and plantings to flow into the building’s interior, reinforcing the connection between indoor and outdoor environments. Central to One River North’s design is ‘The Canyon,’ a four-story amenity space that was shaped to evoke the natural erosion found in slot canyons. This area includes more than 13,000 square feet of landscaped terraces, water features, and some of the most dramatic views of Denver and the surrounding mountains. These terraces, suspended in open space, replicate the experience of Colorado’s canyons through architecture.
designboom (DB): One River North’s design integrates a canyon-inspired rift. Could you elaborate on how this unique feature came to be, and how it draws inspiration from Colorado’s natural environment?
Ma Yansong (MY): The Canyon is about creating a surreal experience that sparks people’s imagination of the surrounding nature. It’s not directly copied from nature; it’s more about imagination, where people feel they live in a modern residential building but also in a canyon-like space. We’re not only making an organic space, but we also designed an experience that shifts in levels, with waterfalls, water features, and terraces at different heights, and we connect them through stairs. When people look up, they also see a vertical canyon extending above them. This entire design is meant to evoke artistic surrealism. While it’s artificial, it allows people to feel an emotional connection to nature.
DB: The building’s rift and terraced green spaces create a strong connection between residents and nature. What role did sustainability and biophilic design play in shaping One River North?
MY: I believe that people in modern cities, often living in towers, need more than just enclosed spaces; they need access to natural environments, outdoor areas, and public spaces that foster a sense of community. If you look at modern cities, they’re full of buildings focused on efficiency and maximizing space, often taking more space from nature. The problem is, when people move into these high-rises, they lose their connection to outdoor spaces. It’s not enough, as there isn’t much nature or public space available. I believe that urban planning should shift from a two-dimensional approach to a three-dimensional strategy. As cities grow taller and more vertical, we need to provide more public, green, and outdoor spaces in the sky. This is sustainable because it’s green, but more importantly, it creates sociological and emotional spaces for people living in high-density cities.
DB: Can you describe the technical challenges involved in creating the landscaped rift, and how it integrates with the building’s structure and function?
MY: In our architecture, we often create something that exists in between the man-made and the natural. At MAD, we have a lot of experience in creating very organic, natural spaces at different scales, using various materials and working within a variety of budgets. For this project, we kept the vertical structure intact to make the central void both feasible and cost-effective. The materials we selected were also quite economical because I believe good design isn’t about expensive technology or materials, it’s about how people feel in space.
We have developed innovative ways to achieve this and rethink the function of the building. The function of a typical real estate condo follows a straightforward, established typology. But here, we’ve introduced a new typology by providing more outdoor spaces across different floors. We created public areas that connect indoor and outdoor spaces, all linked through stairs and an outdoor canyon. It changes the way people use the building, but it also provides an opportunity for non-residents to enjoy the views, and residents to hold gatherings, exercise, or engage in other types of social activities. It’s a large social space that addresses community building and interaction, something that is often missing in typical high-rise buildings.
DB: One River North offers affordable housing options. How did you balance luxury, affordability, and design innovation in this project?
MY: I don’t categorize living spaces by money. Some people can afford larger units, and some have smaller ones, but they are all equitable in that they share the same public space, the same view, and the same sunlight. The design is centered around the canyon space and its connection to nature. In this way, everyone is the same, we are committed to fostering inclusion and equity — it’s not based on social class, it’s welcoming to all. I believe nature is something that can bring equality to everyone. That’s the power of art — art that allows everyone to feel equal and rewarded.