Anywhere Specific

Anywhere Specific
Erik "Rick" Sommerfeld
Shure Visiting Professor Lecture
 

Mon, Oct 19, 5PM
Campbell 153

In this lecture, Shure Visiting Professor Erik “Rick” Sommerfeld, director of the ColoradoBuildingWorkshop, discusses a globally recognized design-build practice that extends from Denver’s urban core to the Continental Divide, and from the college campus to the remote islands of Antarctica. While the work is seemingly “anywhere,” specificity guides the program’s educational model—an approach to architecture that addresses community needs and current societal challenges, with designs shaped by their regional context.

Founded as a graduate architecture design-build program at the University of Colorado Denver’s College of Architecture and Planning, the ColoradoBuildingWorkshop takes a community-driven approach to a wide range of issues, including workforce housing, sustainable infrastructure for non-motorized transportation, climate change and overfishing, backcountry waste management, youth education, and small business incubators that support downtown revitalization. Over the past 17 years, more than 416 students have participated, completing 22 projects and constructing 57 buildings. Through this model, students collaborate with engineers, material representatives, fabricators, installers, local businesses, and community partners—building relationships that extend well beyond their academic careers.

These projects demand innovative construction methods and prefabricated systems for rapid deployment, often in environmentally sensitive locations. Each design responds directly to its context and brief: some prioritize carbon neutrality or thermal performance, while others emphasize environmental sensitivity or are designed for disassembly.

This event will be recorded and made available on the School of Architecture's YouTube Channel.

About the Speaker

Erik "Rick" Sommerfeld is the 2026 Shure Visiting Professor at the UVA School of Architecture. Sommerfeld is an architect and Associate Professor at the University of Colorado Denver, where he additionally serves as Director of Graduate Studies and Director of ColoradoBuildingWorkshop, which he founded in 2009. Sommerfeld’s work and teaching bridges conceptual design and the realities of construction through integrated project delivery, while challenging conventional building assemblies and labor and construction practices.

ColoradoBuildingWorkshop is a globally recognized design-build practice that regularly designs and constructs permanent buildings for non-profits and government agencies focused on the environment, arts, and education. Notable projects include the Holt Watters Field Camp, a research station on Livingston Island in Antarctica, the Aiken Audubon Research Outpost, the Auraria Bike Pavilions, and a collection of 21 cabins for the Colorado Outward Bound School.

Supported by the Shure Visiting Professorship.