Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center
"The City of Colorado Springs and many other stakeholders have long been committed to the task of building a new Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center that is truly worthy of the majesty and magnificence of Pikes Peak and the luster of its history. We now have a visitor center we can all be proud of, a place that William Palmer, Spencer Penrose, and the generations of Pikes Peak advocates who have come before us would be proud of. (This building) complements the majesty of a great mountain, and we commence a new era in the history of Pikes Peak and of Colorado Springs.”
Mayor John Suthers, City of Colorado Springs
Why
Pikes Peak, also known as America's Mountain, is one of the most visited mountains in the world, with more than 1,000,000 visitors annually. At 14,115 feet above sea level, it is the highest visitor center in the United States and the only “fourteener” that everyone can access regardless of age or fitness level. The deteriorating 1960s-era Pikes Peak Summit House could no longer meet the needs of its ever-growing number of visitors, and the City of Colorado Springs embarked on the design and construction of the new Visitor Center.
How
The goal for the design team was to give visitors to the new Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center a seamless, immersive experience. RTA and GWWO guided the design process using extensive public input and deep collaboration among all project stakeholders and 500,000 local citizens who see Pikes Peak as their mountain.
What
The facility's careful placement and sensitive design puts the focus on the stunning landscape, allowing the boundless sky and views to take center stage. Indoor and outdoor interpretive exhibits offer guests opportunities to learn about the Peak’s formation, discovery, and iconic place in American History. Accessible walkways along the site allow visitors to experience the beauty of Pikes Peak.
Project Details
- Square footage: 38,000 sf
- Project cost: $60M
Design Details
- High-profile public project with extensive stakeholder involvement
- Improved ADA accessibility
- High-performance sustainable design, pursuing LEED Platinum and Living Building Challenge certifications (click here to learn more about the project's sustainability initiatives)
- The highest total-precast concrete structure in the world, with 462 precast concrete components delivered one at a time via the multi-switchback Pikes Peak Highway
- Click here for more facts about the new Summit Visitor Center
- Photography by Moss Photography & NIC LEHOUX
Recognition
- 2022 Project of the Year, presented by Engineering-News Record (ENR) Mountain States
- 2022 Best Projects Winner: Cultural/Worship and Specialty Construction, presented by Engineering-News Record (ENR) Mountain States
- 2022 Build America Award, New Construction $10M - $75M, presented by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America
- 2022 PCI Design Awards. Special Award: All-Precast Concrete Solution, presented by Precast/Prestressed Concrete Instistute
- 2022 PCI Design Awards, Special Award: Sustainable Design, presented by Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute
- 2021 CSI Environmental Stewardship Award, presented by the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI)