Location
Denver, CO
Date of Construction
1974
History
Skyline Park was designed and constructed in 1974. In the midst of extensive urban renewal it was an innovative park design that created a refuge in the cityscape, a strong sense of place and a recognizable reference to the Colorado landscape in downtown Denver. It was designed by Lawrence Halprin, one of the leaders of modern landscape architecture. At the time of construction, Skyline was one of the innovative design solutions that Halprin was developing to deal with urban situations. He has since become an internationally known landscape architect for both his urban design and innovative ecological design.
Project Description
In March 2003, the City of Denver approved a plan for the redesign of Skyline Park by landscape architect Thomas Balsley of New York City. Few elements of the original design will remain in this redesign. In order that Halprin’s design may be remembered and studied by future generations, Colorado Preservation, Inc. requested and received permission from the City of Denver to document the park through photography, videography, measured drawings and a written history before demolition began. In May 2003, students from the University of Colorado – Denver converged on the park taking measurements while professionals took photographs and captured video footage. The completed detailed history, photographs, video, and drawings have been approved by the National Park Service as Colorado’s first Historic American Landscape Survey (HALS) project and copies have been cataloged at the Library of Congress and the Colorado Historical Society.
Project Team
Project financed in part through a grant from the State Historical Fund.
