At the time I took these photos, it was early 1998 and the fate of Currigan Exhibition Hall had already been set. These are the building as it was, in its last years- much unchanged since it's completion in 1969 and for the most part as you can see here, well preserved in it's nearly 30 years of operation. Currigan Hall, for Denver, represented progress in structural ingenuity and spatial opportunity- refined in its restraint and early modern form. Designed by the late William C. Muchow and Associate Architects, it was one of the first space frame structures to afford a column free space of 100000 sf. It's spatial equivalent unequal anywhere in the western US region.
Sadly, its demolition became final in 2002 and in its place a new convention center hardly worth mentioning here. The appeal of Currigan was its tectonic clarity; with structure (inside and out) and exterior facade material, woven tightly in functional expression. Currigan was transformational in its bold, rhythmically repetitive contrast to the historic revival structures surrounding it. Yet remained intricately delicate (in visual dialogue) as experienced up close via exposed connective details. According to city records, it was too new to be deemed worthy of saving- not 'historical' enough, in other words.
Erased, but worth while in memory.
