DLR Group was tasked with completing a dynamic space at the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus for high school upperclassmen in Denver, Colorado.

Cherry Creek Innovation Campus expands career and technical program opportunities and serves as a college and career readiness hub for 11th and 12th grade students across Cherry Creek School District. DLR Group’s design incorporates critical input from business partners who established baseline needs and space parameters to deliver authentic learning environments for each specific career pathway, including real-world training and trade certification activities. The 117,000 SF campus includes a variety of instructional, lab, and social spaces where students can work in teams or individually on assigned tasks as they progress through their chosen career pathway.

The district worked with the Colorado Workforce Development to identify seven relevant career pathways that support the local and regional economy. Pathways include advanced manufacturing, business services, health and wellness, hospitality and tourism, infrastructure engineering, I.T. and STEAM, transportation. In addition to onsite instruction at CCIC, students are also afforded internships and apprenticeships in a variety of career fields.

DLR Group’s design supports a variety of educational exercises, from students learning entrepreneurial skills to advancing their culinary ability to troubleshooting a computer network. The heart of the campus is the i-Commons, where career pathways converge. It brings together all campus users by encouraging interaction and intentional collisions between students, educators, and industry partners.

The campus is located on 40 prominent acres in Dove Valley nearby the Denver Broncos training facility and is bordered by East Broncos Parkway and South Chambers Road.

Architect: DLR Group
Contractor: JHL Constructors
Photography: Bill Timmerman