Case Study: Colorado State Capitol Building

Perhaps the most iconic building in Colorado, the State Capitol was constructed over a ten year period spanning the turn of the 20th century. After standing proudly for more than 100 years the State of Colorado embarked on an aggressive rehabilitation of the entire dome structure, the roof and skylights in 2011. As a historic landmark, the architect strove to keep the original design features intact while including upgrades intended to withstand the test of time.

The skylights are not visible from the interior space, but rather serve the purpose of indirectly illuminating the hand-painted murals that adorn the walls. Therefore, glass selection was an important factor in both allowing maximum visible light transmission while also controlling the damaging effects of UV rays. In order to maintain the look of the old steel units, bay spacing was reduced to 2’, and a false horizontal grid was applied to the exterior. The restoration of the State Capitol required a strict attention to detail and national historic preservation standards. DĀLYTE’s team of professionals were able to deliver a product that met the design requirements and will endure for future generations.