Hellems Arts & Science Building – Building A Lasting Legacy on the CU Campus

By

Hellems: Arts & Science Building

 

“For a century, the Hellems Arts and Sciences Building has been a touchstone of the student experience on the CU Boulder campus. Balancing its historic charm while adapting to the needs of today’s students first was at the forefront of the design team’s design approach in transforming the building into a hub for academic success.

 

The Hellems Arts and Sciences Building and Mary Rippon Theatre Capital Renewal Project is a complete modernization of a historic Charles Klauder building (built in 1922 & 1938) located within the Norlin Quadrangle National Historic District of the University of Colorado Boulder’s campus. The project presents opportunities and benefits to the CU Boulder community, with fifty percent of the entering undergraduate class and eighty percent of the post-graduate recipients taking at least one course in Hellems. The primary goal of the 102,000-square-foot project is to create a student-focused facility that is welcoming and inclusive and supports the flexibility of multi-department uses.” – CU Boulder Website

Several goals for the renovation, including:

  • Student-focused learning and collaboration spaces
  • A reimagined hub for English, History, Linguistics, Philosophy and ALTEC 
  • Diversity, equity and inclusion in design, construction and occupancy
  • Sustainability and reduced environmental impact
  • Flexibility for the next 100 years of use
  • Historical preservation

Orion’s contribution on this project was extensive including Potholing & Daylighting and Excavation to trench and remove soils on the exterior of the building totaling approximately 48 cubic yards of soil. Extending past the soil work, Orion took on a top to bottom Asbestos Abatement of all buildings and all floors which was completed in 3 separate phases taking roughly 15 months to complete. 

Orion believes the impact of our work on this project not only allowed for increased integrity of the building’s structure but also the longevity and modernization of the interior spaces, allowing many more generations of Colorado University students to experience the beauty of the Hellems Arts & Sciences Building and make lasting memories.