Beyond the Facade: 20 Years of Transformation with SAR+

About the event: Join the Denver Architecture Foundation at SAR+ for a behind-the-scenes look at their 20-year journey in architecture, design, and planning, shaping Denver’s built environment. This event will be hosted at the SAR+ office where they have been for over a decade!

About the building: Originally built in the early 1900s, this is a historic warehouse building in Denver’s Lower Downtown (LoDo) district. The building was part of Denver’s industrial and railroad era, serving as a storage and distribution facility for goods transported via nearby Union Station. Over time, as LoDo transitioned from an industrial hub to a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood, the building was repurposed for modern office and commercial use while retaining its historic character. SAR+ has embraced this history, maintaining the building’s exposed brick, timber beams, and loft-style aesthetic as part of its creative workspace.

About SAR+ past and future: SAR+ will share how they got their start, grew alongside Denver’s evolution, and expanded from housing into larger, city-defining projects. As part of their housing work, SAR+ will highlight Nest56, a recently completed supportive housing project for youth transitioning out of homelessness. Building on that experience, they are now contributing to one of Denver’s most significant planning efforts—the transformative KSE Ball Arena development.

Tour Guides:

Jesse Adkins, AIA | Principal – Jesse’s passion, professionalism, and creative drive set the standard at SAR+. He is gifted in both design and the business of architecture, helping to lead SAR+ to become a national design firm. He is goal oriented and has a clear ability to direct a strong, process-oriented team; integrating all stakeholders, design collaborators, and builders seamlessly to achieve the most strategic project success.

In his leadership role with the firm Jesse works with some of the firm’s largest clients to help their project identification and development process. He has played pivotal roles in high profile firm projects such as the award-winning Dairy Block development, the 9th & Colorado Master Plan, and the University of Denver Career Achievement Center. He also serves as an active mentor and guide with young staff members, helping them to grow both their client management and design skills.

Adam Rude, AIA LEED AP | Senior Associate – Adam joined SAR+ in 2017 as an experienced, design-oriented architect, having completed projects across the country and in Asia. His experience ranges from net-zero energy single family residences to large urban developments, with a balanced focus between the details and the big ideas. Since joining, Adam has become a strong design leader in the firm, and is focused on creating projects which meaningfully benefit their communities.  He recently led the design of the Mercer Apartments project set to open in the Union Station neighborhood this summer, and is also leading construction management for two multi-modal bridges which will serve the greater Broadway Station Development in Denver (Kentucky Bridge & South Pedestrian Bridge). Adam oversees all aspects of design and documentation on his projects, involving the full design and consultant team to explore innovative, elegant, and comprehensive design solutions to reach a successful project outcome.

Beyond his project work, Adam maintains an involvement with the University of Colorado Denver’s College of Architecture and Planning, periodically teaching design studios to undergraduate and graduate students, offering critique during final reviews, and co-teaching ACE summer camps held at the school. He is driven by a desire to create sustainable long-term solutions to our world’s rapidly growing cities, and a belief that design can make the future a better place to live than today.

Chris Shears, FAIA | Principal – In Chris’s decades of practice in the Denver region, he has been an active participant in all phases of the master planning and architectural design process. He has directed the planning and design efforts for many of Denver’s more substantial new projects. As a weaver of the urban fabric, Chris is recognized for his leadership in forming public policy and has helped to build a firm based on equality whose work is consistently catalytic, transforming cities and peoples’ lives. Working with city officials for more than 30 years to expand established entitlements while engaging communities and stakeholders, Shears specializes in creative interpretation of zoning ordinances and design standards to achieve economically sound contextual solutions. His involvement in each project begins with programming and early concept generation and continues through the evolution of the design.

Madison Wilson | Architect – Madison is a Denver-based architect whose work has already made a significant impact on the city’s built environment. With experience spanning tenant improvements to large-scale urban master planning, she has primarily focused on commercial office, retail, and hospitality projects. She is deeply engaged in all phases of design, documentation, and construction administration, with particular expertise in entitlements—an asset that has proven invaluable in her current role on the KSE Ball Arena IMP, a transformative project poised to strengthen connections between Lower Downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.

Beyond her technical skills, Madison is a natural leader and team builder, known for managing projects with professionalism and enthusiasm.

Accessibility: SAR+ office is ADU accessible, with a ramp entrance on Wynkoop Street and an elevator inside. 

Please note that DAF tours take place rain, snow or shine. If your tour includes an outdoor portion, please dress for the weather. DAF staff will contact all attendees directly should a tour be cancelled for any reason.