Those who have driven through the River North neighborhood in the past few months are likely to have spotted the construction going up on Blake Street. Known as One River North, the newest addition to Denver’s RiNo district is considered the city’s latest cutting-edge apartment complex. Its defining—and most divisive—feature? A chasm that seems to have cracked the building open. Some Google reviews were skeptical about the proposed design:
“Do they forget that it snows in Denver?” commented one Denverite Alex. Another, Lauren, said “This building is so insane to me. It’s in the weirdest area of Denver. I can’t imagine who would live here. I thought it was a hoax for so long.”
The One River North building transversed international waters as the brainchild of Chinese company MAD Architects and Denver’s Davis Partnership Architects. While the former is used to heading such unconventional projects around the world, the goal was to make One River North not just a statement piece, but an intentional reflection of its Rocky Mountain home.
“The nature-inspired design by MAD Architects was influenced by Colorado’s legendary landforms,” Kevin Ratner, a co-founder of the Max Collaborative, one of the main developers for One River North, said in an interview with Global Construction Review. “It merges nature and architecture to inspire a well-balanced life.”
Specifically, while the building’s mirrored facade faces the mountains to the west, what has been termed the “landscape rift” will bring the outdoors in. Flowing waterfalls, trees and vegetation native to Colorado will wind through the man-made canyon, making for a four-story ecosystem that will adapt to the seasons.
According to MAD’s lead architect, Ma Yansong, his projects seek out “spiritual freedom.” “MAD’s practice seeks to create a unique harmony between humanity and the built environment, both natural and man-made,” Ma wrote in his 2021 book, MAD Rhapsody. “A vision of a future city that is deeply rooted in the spiritual needs of citizens.”
The building is reminiscent of those strewn across the country of Singapore, where officials are attempting to combat rising temperatures and the urban heat-island effect. Under its Skyrise Greenery Incentive Scheme, the government pays property owners up to 50% of the cost of installing greenery on rooftops and facades.
Devin Ackelroy, a RiNo resident of two years said. “It stands out here which is cool considering how RiNo already has a lot of unique art and architecture.”
One River North’s 187 residences will come with access to a yoga and fitness studio, a pet spa and workspaces. Additionally, the open-air walkway will lead to a 7,000-square-foot pool and garden that sits atop the roof. That being said, it’s no surprise that such a living experience doesn’t come cheap. This too has been critiqued by social media users.
“Nice place…would be a shame if no one could afford it,” commented Background_Camel12 on a Tiktok video about the building. Another user, Denverok360, stated, “Baby we need affordable housing.”
Other users mentioned the ongoing gentrification of RiNo, which is a part of the historically Black neighborhood Five Points. “Stop gentrifying this neighborhood!!!!!!!!!” pleaded one user.
One River North is just one of many residential buildings that have gone up as a result of the high-demand housing market that has defined Denver over the past few years. Furthermore, the lack of affordable housing continues to be the top-priority issue for Denver, evidenced in the executive order issued by Gov. Jared Polis in August 2023 that stressed “strategic growth” for the “eighth most unaffordable state in the nation.”
According to the Multifamily Market Report, Denver’s rent rate has increased by 3.2% for the city in the past year alone, putting the average monthly payment at $1770. And yet, RiNo has been catering to a different market for some years now. Marked by a vibrant art scene with galleries, studios and breweries, this district has become a beacon for an eclectic, well-paid, health and climate-conscious crowd that secured the investment in a project such as One River North.
“In my eight years in this market, [there are] three or four times more interested parties than I’ve ever had opening any community in history,” said Elizabeth Meyers, vice president of client experience with One River North’s property management company Kairoi Residential. “We’ve got thousands of interested parties.”
A studio in One River North generally starts at $2995 a month, but several studios under $2,000 exist as a result of the 2022 ordinance that requires new residential developments to designate a minimum of 8-12%of units as affordable to those making 60% of the area median income.
To walk the few blocks surrounding One River North is to come face to face with Denver’s evolving demographic. The recent builds that surround the planted residence are The Collective RiNo whose appeal lies in its being “art-themed,” or the 483 units in the NOVEL RiNo which touts itself as sitting “on the edge of the unexpected.” What it really sits on the edge of, however, are the original one-story homes on Marion, Gilpin, and Downing Streets. The homes have increasingly been crowded out by the rapid high-end development.
“A big priority of the plan is to preserve existing properties in neighborhoods that are at risk of gentrifying or vulnerable to involuntary displacement,” said Sabrina Allie, communications and engagement director at Denver Department of Housing Stability. “To reach the goal of 7,000 affordable homes in Denver by 2026 must involve utilizing what is already here.”
While only a select few may get the luxury of living in one of One River North’s units, the rest of Denver is getting what is already being recognized as a cultural landmark. A leafy, pristine palace that serves not only as a structure, but a symbol of ideals.