Kent Denver School Dining Hall

General Contractor/Project Manager

CMC Group, Inc.
Denver, Colorado

Associate Head of School

Kent Denver School
Englewood, Colorado

The Kent Denver School Dining Hall recently received an addition and underwent a facelift utilizing copper panels because of its recyclability and stunning aesthetics. The Kent Denver School Dining Hall - the first of its kind to receive LEED Platinum Certification - includes an extensive renovation to the existing building and a 12,000-square-foot addition. Initial cost, durability, and ease of maintenance were all primary factors in determining materials for the building envelope, without compromising sustainability.

Copper shingles [by Zappone] highlight the re-configured main entry to the dining hall and were used as "second skin" to cover the 'scars' on the existing building where cedar shingle mansards were removed. The shingles were an obvious choice due to their existence on other campus buildings where the school has completed a campus wide replacement of cedar shingles with the copper. The copper shingles were comprised of over 70 percent recycled content, contributing to the achievement of innovative LEED credits with a high level of recycled materials on the overall project. An anticipated aesthetic is the graceful aging appearance of the copper shingles over time, eventually gaining a luscious dark patina of velvet-black after approximately 5 years.

Architectural Category: Exotic or Unusual Applications