Elsy Studios reimagined the 1,290-square-foot lobby of this old Ford Model-T assembly plant on a prominent street corner in Denver, repositioning it into a welcoming entrance for a new multi-tenant office space. The industrial vernacular-style building no longer provided a sense of the rich past hidden within its walls. We were determined to remedy this.

Our team integrated thoughtful design elements that embraced the historic architecture. We repurposed salvaged materials from the building, including an old wooden wire spool and a floor lamp made from old elevator parts, and blended an industrial ceiling and wood beam into the design, maintaining the industrial look and feel of the 106-year-old building. A custom wall graphic – the focal point of the design – was printed on textured wallcovering to resemble an old car blueprint, providing a subtle reference to the building’s original purpose as a Model-T assembly plant. 

To create a more hospitable entry and promote more effective wayfinding, Elsy strategically removed walls that felt like barriers and angled the floor tile to subtly direct people to the elevator banks. Keeping existing building materials and forms while optimizing the building’s structure allowed for seamless accommodation of its new uses and improved functionality. The result is a memorable space that captures the spirit of innovation that is so ingrained in the building’s legacy.