When we first visited Fort Collins and Colorado State University (CSU) in May 1993 – before we moved here – what struck me was the amazing quality of the light. Fort Collins is located at an elevation of 5003 feet and thus is only shy of 277 feet from being one mile up. The light benefits from the altitude. Because of the semi-arid climate, low humidity and reduced amount of water vapor the light has to pass through, the sky remains robin's egg blue throughout the year and crystalline bright. It's a source of wonder and pleasure for me still. (At the time of that first visit, I mentioned the quality of the light to my colleagues, who were also visiting Fort Collins for the first time – we were all moving to CSU as a lab. "Isn't the light fantastic?" I asked. They hadn't noticed. Not at all. I remember being confused – because 'how could you not help but see it?')

One Fort Collins building that looks particularly good in the high altitude light – especially in winter – is Danforth Chapel on the CSU campus. The Chapel's east side is comprised of a wall of windows. In winter, the windows serve as a surface on which the shadows made by the tree limbs float in large angular patterns. The photos below give you an idea of the effect. The effect is heightened by the brilliance of the light, which causes the shadows to stand out in greater contrast than they would at a lower elevation.

The shadows are complemented by the Chapel's design and materials. The high, narrow lines of the building parallel the elongated trunks of the surrounding walnut trees. The redwood and stone construction gives the building a western appearance, which underscores the fact that Fort Collins and the Chapel are located in the Rocky Mountains with its mountain light.

The University of Colorado-Denver Electronic Library of Colorado Architecture, Landscape and Planning (ELCALP) classifies the Chapel as being in the International Style, which seems like a stretch to me, but I guess I see what they're getting at. (A better Fort Collins example of the International Style is the Cache Bank & Trust at the corner of South College and Mountain in Old Town – 'cause you've got to dig those big windows.) Still, it's the modern design of the Chapel (mixed with the building's strong integration with its site) that succeeds so well. The ELCALP lists characteristics of the International Style that may apply to the Chapel: "long clear spans, huge windows, open plans... minimization of apparent mass and weight... asymmetry, cubic forms..." It's why the Chapel catches the light like no other building in Fort Collins.

Danforth Chapel: "contemporary approach to a religious problem" (architect James M. Hunter, 09-Feb-54)

Danforth Chapel ― Fort Collins built environment