Boulder 2014 Structures of Merit - some of the best of the 1960's

As Chair of Boulder's Landmarks Board, I have been heading up an effort to engender greater appreciation and recognition of some of Boulder's remarkable 1960's architecture.

Boulder really flowered in this decade as a number of new, high tech industries moved to town and the overall prosperity lead to a explosive building boom.  On the scene were a number of talented architects that, along with their clients, embraced the future and created buildings that were unconventional and intriguingly creative.

The City of Boulder had as a part of the Preservation Program an arm called the Structures of Merit.  Many years ago this was a kind of preservation-lite that entailed some limited protection from demolition of designated buildings.  The program's restriction were removed and the Structures of Merit designation became purely honorary, with no limitations on potential building changes or demolitions.  As the teeth were taken out of the program it was largely abandoned.

Last year in an effort to raise awareness of architecture of the recent past, the Landmarks Board decided to revive the Structures of Merit program as a  kind of architectural awards.  The buildings shown here are the first crop of this renaissance of the Structures of Merit Program.

These buildings will be designated this year with the support of their current owners and I hope this is the first step in extended the range of the Landmarks Board from a Bureacracy-of-No to one of more inclusion, greater outreach and better community partnership.

From top to bottom:

Boulder Eye Clinic, by Charles Haertling

Thron House, by Hobart Wagner

Kahn House, by Charles Haertling

Brenton House, by Charles Haertling

Sirotkin House, by Tician Papachristou

Willard House, by Charles Haertling