5° WEST
Living couldn’t be easier– sustainable, communal, adaptive. 5° West is a multi-unit living complex that aids college students in Boulder that includes sustainable transportation accessibility. Located within the property is “Bikes on Pearl”, a local small business that allows bike rentals and free repairs for all and discounted repairs for Boulder residents. The building is constructed using recycled materials like cedar wood and corten steel, and the facade is inspired by the paintings of Irish artist Sean Scully.
Due to the sun pattern coming in from the southeast and moving towards the southwest, all ten units are located on the western side of the property in order to use the natural resources Boulder offers— those being the mountains for views and the sun for natural daylight. The first steps for the project started with the angle adjustments for each unit to create a zig-zag facade. With the facade, multiple materials can be used to create a painting with the color and vertical-horizontal features. Thus, 5 degrees towards the west.
