Why Populus is the Hotel of the Year—And What It Took to Build It
- Apr 11, 2025
Esquire magazine named the Populus Hotel Denver its Hotel of the Year, calling it “one of the most visually arresting buildings in America.” Earlier, TIME featured Populus among its World’s Greatest Places, recognizing the hotel’s forward-thinking approach to sustainability and design.
So, how did one of the world’s most talked-about hotels come to life? It all started with the right team and the right approach.
As the general contractor and preconstruction partner for Populus, The Beck Group helped bring to life the vision of Urban Villages and architect Studio Gang by leveraging one of our most effective strategies: design assist.
The Populus Hotel Denver is the country’s first carbon-positive hotel, a 13-story, 265-key structure in the heart of downtown Denver. Its signature feature—a dynamic façade that mimics the dark “eyes” of Colorado’s Aspen trees—is as technically complex as it is visually iconic. Meeting that ambition required an approach that combined design and construction from day one.
Design Assist in Action
From prototyping to installation, Beck worked with our architects, trade partners, and suppliers to refine the design in real time. Through delegated design management, our team led everything from early 3D modeling and mock-ups to resolving panel conflicts and integrating the steel structure and waterproofing details on the hotel’s rooftop terrace.
Using target value design, we partnered closely with Studio Gang and Urban Villages to explore materials that balanced performance, cost, and beauty. This ultimately reduced the number of unique panels from 360 to 95 without compromising design intent.
Our co-located architectural and construction teams operated as one, ensuring tight quality control and seamless execution.
Why It Matters
At Beck, we believe that design excellence and constructability don’t need to compete—they can and should elevate one another. Populus is a striking example of what’s possible when bold design is supported by equally bold collaboration.
It’s an honor to see the hotel celebrated on the world stage. But our team’s greatest pride comes from helping realize a vision that will inspire the industry for years.
How Beck Can Help
Whether you’re tackling a complex hospitality build, an ambitious sustainability goal, or want to deliver a design-forward project on time and budget, The Beck Group can help. Our integrated team of design and construction experts is ready to partner with you from day one.
Matthew Archuletta is the Regional Director of The Beck Group in Denver. In his leadership role, he oversaw the Populus project and supported the team throughout its successful delivery.