David Adjaye: Light a Key Component of New Museum Design

Architect David Adjaye on Wednesday presented a series of concept drawings that show the importance of light in the design of the new Museum of Contemporary Art/Denver.

"When you walk around the building, you will be bathed in light," which the London-based designer characterized as "kind of extraordinary here."

Adjaye is in Denver for a week to work on the museum and meet with the project's architect-of-recor d, Anderson Mason Dale, city officials and staff. His presentation Wednesday was sponsored by the Downtown Denver Partnership.

Although Adjaye did not specify the materials to be used, he said he expected the building to be translucent. "The building is about atmosphere and emotion . . . and will reveal opportunities for art," he said.

Meanwhile, across town, the city's other museum construction project celebrated its own milestone Wednesday: The final beam was put in place in the skeleton of the new Frederic C. Hamilton Building at the Denver Art Museum, designed by Daniel Libeskind. Steel erection there has moved quickly enough that officials moved the "topping out" ceremony up from Sept. 24.

The new MCA/Denver, to be built on a site at 15th and Delgany streets, will include a trio of forms that grow out of a mathematical concept called the Golden Section, or Golden Mean.

"It is Golden Section volu