Anna & John J. Sie International Relations Complex

Denver, CO

Designed by Anderson Mason Dale and University Architect Mark Rodgers, this stunning building consists of five stories in addition to a basement totaling 47,000 gross square feet. The new building adjoins Cherrington Hall and the Sié Chéou-Kang Center to form the completed Josef Korbel School of International Relations Complex, featuring signature University of Denver elements, including multi-century, load-bearing stone masonry and a tower that has become part of the university’s skyline.

The top floor of the building is home to multiple presentation facilities where the University of Denver and the Josef Korbel School welcomes dignitaries from around the world.

The building has been supported by the receipt of a $17 million gift from philanthropists Anna and John J. Sie, which marks the largest, single private gift in the Josef Korbel School’s 50-year history.

Building the WeitzWay

This project for the University of Denver represented a bit of a departure due to its unique construction and accelerated schedule. One of the main goals for the University of Denver when we began construction on the Sie International Relations Building was minimizing the concern for the safety of and disruptions to students, faculty and visitors. Throughout the project, we took a proactive approach to prevent unscheduled disruptions to scheduled campus activities and to engage with the students in a positive way. Our goal was to make the construction a positive process for the students. We set out to spark the students and faculty’s interest by keeping a pristine site and making construction activities viewable from outside the fence. We also participated with the school in project updates on social media. But, perhaps the best story of all was the student’s reaction to the tiny tree at our topping out ceremony and their disappointment when it came down at the completion of the project. You can read the article about their reaction in the DU Clarion online newspaper.