NCSL will host meetings with legislators and staff from across the country at the new facility. To accommodate large gatherings, architects designed a 2,000-sf conferencing facility, complete with full audio/visual broadcasting capability. In addition, national on-line service operations for the organization will be housed in a state-of-the-art computer center.

Additional amenities include shower facilities, internal bike storage, employee cafe and a large outdoor patio area. NCSL Executive Director William Pound says the design of the building "will meet the needs of constituents and staff for years to come."

Klipp Colussy Jenks DuBois Architects of Denver designed the new 57,000-sf facility, which general contractor Pinkard Construction plans to complete by October of next year.

Alan Colussy, KCJD Architects principal says the Lowry location on the east side of Denver is ideally suited to accommodate the needs of NCSL.

"The scale of the surrounding buildings provides a strong context for the building's design,'' Colussy says. ''NCSL can be viewed as a great addition to the fast-developing business center."

The core of the building is its three-story, sky-lit rotunda that is viewed from all three floors. Interior colors have been updated in richer versions of red and blue to represent the legislative nature of the client. A terrazzo floor in the main lobby, as well as warm grays and tans will give the interior architecture a sense of timelessness.