Denver's futuristic architectural marvel has recently been recognized as one of the world's most awe-inspiring structures
The Populus hotel in Denver, Colorado, is making waves in the architectural world, being shortlisted for the prestigious 2025 World Festival of Architecture (WAF). This American hotel, designed by Studio Gang, is among the finalists, competing against over 460 projects from more than 780 entries.
Rising from a triangular plot, the Populus hotel houses 265 rooms and two restaurants. One of these restaurants is located on the ground floor, while the other resides on the rooftop garden, offering diners a breathtaking view of the Rocky Mountains. The hotel's unique design features irregular, ovoid windows that soar up to nine meters tall, creating a structure that resembles a living, organic form. This snow-white silhouette stands out against the city's urban landscape, making the Populus hotel easily recognizable.
The Populus hotel's carbon-positive initiative is one of its most significant features. This initiative involves a careful analysis of every stage, from material sourcing and transportation to construction, to assess its carbon footprint. The hotel aims to become the nation's first carbon-positive hotel, with a deep-rooted environmental commitment built into the project.
Jon Buerge, Chief Development Officer at Urban Villages, discussed the Populus hotel's carbon-positive initiative in an interview with Moka Magazine. He explained that the hotel's carbon-positive initiative aims to grow into a forest spanning over 5,000 hectares. Urban Villages, the developer of the Populus hotel, plans to plant more than 70,000 trees and continue planting trees in the future to offset the hotel's energy use.
The Populus hotel's interior design is as innovative as its exterior. Inside the hotel, the windows serve as seating, benches, and serene lookout points, offering guests a chance to enjoy the stunning views of the Rocky Mountains.
The Populus hotel's design is inspired by the quaking aspen, a tree native to Colorado. This inspiration is evident in the hotel's organic form and its commitment to sustainability, much like the quaking aspen's ability to regenerate from root systems after a fire.
The winners of the 2025 WAF will be announced on November 12 in Miami. The event, held at the Miami Beach Convention Center from November 12 to 14, 2025, will see finalists present their projects in their respective categories over the first two days. The overall winners, including special prizes and the WAFX 2025 prize for cutting-edge design addressing global issues, will be announced live on the Festival Hall Stage. The final overall awards, such as the main WAFX winner, will be announced at the Gala Dinner on the concluding day of the festival.
The United States and China dominate the shortlist, followed by Australia, Canada, Singapore, and Turkey. Notable practices among the finalists include Bjarke Ingels Group, Foster + Partners, Studio Gang, Grimshaw, Nikken Sekkei, Mario Cucinella Architects, and Perkins&Will, with a strong representation from the United States, China, the UK, Australia, and several other countries.
As the top prize for the 2025 WAF approaches, the anticipation builds for the announcement of the winner. With its innovative design, carbon-positive initiative, and commitment to sustainability, the Populus hotel in Denver, Colorado, is a strong contender for the prestigious award.
[1] World Architecture Festival (2025). Retrieved from https://worldarchitecturefestival.com/ [2] Moka Magazine. (2025). Interview with Jon Buerge, Chief Development Officer at Urban Villages. Retrieved from https://mokamagazine.com/ [3] Architectural Digest. (2025). The Populus Hotel: A Sustainable Masterpiece in Denver. Retrieved from https://www.architecturaldigest.com/ [5] Dezeen. (2025). Populus Hotel by Studio Gang: A Sustainable Carbon-Positive Hotel in Denver. Retrieved from https://www.dezeen.com/
- The Populus hotel, shortlisted for the 2025 World Festival of Architecture (WAF), is not only known for its innovative design reminiscent of a living organism, but also for its commitment to sustainable living, aiming to become the nation's first carbon-positive hotel. (World Architecture Festival, 2025)
- Urban Villages, the developer of the Populus hotel, plans to plant more than 70,000 trees as part of the hotel's carbon-positive initiative, growing into a forest spanning over 5,000 hectares, reflecting the hotel's commitment to a lifestyle that harmonizes with home-and-garden and en-vols sustainable living. (Moka Magazine, 2025)
