Architecurally Funkadelic

The most unique architecture in Denver are three buildings creating a little triangle of culture and cool-ass look. First up is the old art museum, designed by Gio Ponti and Denver-based James Sudler Associates. It opened in 1971 and as a kid, the design of the place was totally wicked because, look at it, it's a freakin' castle, dude. However, as an adult, I now find it brooding. It doesn't give off the same "hey, it's a freakin' castle!" charm I felt as a kid. In essence, it's lost some of that luster for me.

Simply called the North building

Next up to bat is the new art museum (well, actually, it's just more art museum because it's not replacing the old one, it's just, you know, more). This building is directly south of the North Building and opened in 2006. It was designed by Daniel Libeskind. This monstrosity of angles and elbows juts from the ground like a cubist ship of yore crashing free of the trough of a wave (in a storm, uphill, both ways, in five feet of snow).

Frederic C. Hamilton Building

Even though I called it a monstrosity (which doesn't mesh with my ship analogy), that in no way means I don't like it. I like it. I'm a geek. Monsters are the ginchiest. With this silver beast, wherever you stand you get a new angle to delight your eyes.

The cool angles of the entrance

And now for my favorite, the Denver Public Library. This pretty much encapsulates all of the best features that I dig from the older buildings of downtown Denver. It's almost a caricature of a city block crammed together into one structure. For some it's too many unique looks built atop one another. For me, it's like an enjoyable dreamscape of a city block. It exudes coolness.

And finally, here are all three buildings as seen from Big Brother. Oh, wait, I mean using Google Earth.