The Apiary Hotel & Residences

The Apiary Hotel & Residences demonstrates what is possible when design-build integration becomes a project operating model rather than simply a delivery method. The 615,000-sq.-ft. development combines 193 luxury residences with a 175-key soft-branded Marriott extended-stay hotel. The two distinct programs were stacked on a constrained 0.8-acre urban site within a single tower, each with different operational requirements, while pursuing a cohesive architectural vision.

The Beck Group served as both architect and contractor under one roof, and the team brought in an additional architecture partner to expand design capacity. Owner Copford Capital Management selected Beck through a sole-source process, reflecting an Owner intentionally bringing architecture, preconstruction, construction and key trade partners into alignment from the outset. Strategic procurement and continuous cost validation were particularly important during pandemic-era market volatility and material escalation, helping the team maintain design objectives and schedule momentum. 

Integration Beyond Co-Location

Jurors were particularly struck by the project’s guiding mindset: construction drove design, and design drove construction. Beyond collocating more than 35 team members at peak, the team maintained a genuine feedback loop in which each discipline actively informed the other. Technology reinforced that integration, with fabrication-level VDC modeling, immersive VR, robotics-assisted layout and BIM-driven coordination allowing design decisions to be tested against actual construction requirements in real time. Detailed reinforcement models were linked directly to fabrication software, improving material accuracy and reducing waste, while prefabricated framing and componentized construction translated coordinated design directly into field execution.

The project stood out because integration materially influenced the work itself. Design, fabrication, procurement and construction continually informed one another, enabling the team to pursue a level of design and finish beyond a conventional development mindset while maintaining disciplined attention to cost, schedule, constructability and quality.

Beyond its delivery achievements, the Apiary Hotel contributes to the continued evolution of Denver’s Belleview Station district as a more connected, mixed-use neighborhood. Located adjacent to RTD light rail and within walking distance of businesses, dining and retail establishments, the development supports transit-oriented living and greater walkability. Its combination of residential and hospitality uses, along with coworking, wellness, rooftop gathering and conference spaces, creates activity throughout the day and provides places for residents and guests to connect. The project adds both density and a broader mix of uses to the growing Denver Tech Center community.

Design-Build Team

Photos

Photo Credits: Tim Gormley; Nathan Hindman; Benton Grismer