Financial trouble nearly destroyed the University in the 1980s, but just a decade later DU began the most dramatic physical transformation
in its history.
A new book, Built for Learning (University of Denver, 2008), traces DU’s architectural renaissance and tells the story of Chancellor Dan Ritchie, architect Cab Childress and the other people who made it possible.
The substantial hardback includes hundreds of photos of University of Denver campus landscapes and architecture, beginning with DU’s first buildings constructed more than a century ago and continuing through to the campus of today. Its 200-plus color-drenched pages explore Ritchie and Childress’ quest “to build a sustainable and future-focused environment that will serve students and the community for generations to come.”
The book describes not just architectural features, but the ways that those features enhance student learning and benefit the community—how and why the University looks the way it does today. The limited-edition book, dedicated in memory of Childress, is peppered with the late architect’s notes and drawings and provides unique insight into his vision and collaboration with Ritchie. “Our job is to bring light into dim places,” Childress said. “It’s not a matter of tearing things down.”
This book is available at the DU Bookstore.