Functional Environmental Art at One River North
As specialists in harnessing the power of wood, we excel at creating sustainable, biophilic, instagrammable showstoppers; functional environmental art that breathes life and luxury into the largest spaces. For this project we partnered with the design firm to create one-of-a-kind structural moments for the community space at One River North that would provide a social gathering space and utilitarian surface. One River North features open-air terraces and soaring walls of glass, all encased in a first-of-its-kind sculptural façade. Our company shares these values of creating spaces that immerse people in luxury and nature, and our combined team designed gigantic wooden cocktail community tables for One River North.
These tables were made from the salvaged root structures of Denver urban reclaimed trees. The root balls were hauled gently from the earth to preserve the legacy of their story. The embedded earth was slowly and carefully washed from between the roots to preserve the open structure in all of its complexity. Some rocks, a brick and other organic elements were found embedded and at times encased in the roots. After weeks of cleaning, the root structures were allowed to air dry for months to limit future movement from moisture loss.
The process of leveling and shaping the root balls was a huge challenge due to the size, weight and delicate nature of the root structure. Our team used sawmills, chainsaws, cranes, and forklifts to slowly craft the root balls into precise designs that maintained their organic anatomy. The bases received final shaping with hand tools, and were then hand sanded to reveal and refine the grain structure of the wood at all angles. After being repeatedly flipped by crane, and polished from all angles, the surfaces where the wood grain was exposed were sanded smooth and finished with a penetrating epoxy for strength and natural tung oil for beauty. The remaining natural surface was carefully preserved.
Blue starfire glass was custom cut to the precise shape of the surface of each root ball providing a beautiful and cleanable functional surface. We custom crated these massive sections and their glass tops, and moved them to their final 7th floor location on a custom designed gantree system.
These huge Colorado stumps are epic examples of sustainable wood practices. They are biophilia at its best, and being in their presence inspires a feeling of celebration and connection to the natural world.
