1330 Emerson is an example of how single stair code reform could be implemented to provide a different residential building typology in Denver, CO. American cities suffer from a disparity between typical big-block rental apartments and increasingly unaffordable single family homes. There is a lack of high quality housing options for people that want to live in central neighborhoods that do not have the means to purchase a single family home.

Currently, new apartments require access to two exit stairs, necessitating a dark central corridor. This divides the building in half, forcing limited unit types and allowing windows only on one side of each unit. The proposed code change would only require access to a single stair for egress, utilizing the fire truck ladder as the second egress route. This allows for a smaller building footprint, opportunity for light in the public/circulation spaces, and windows on multiple sides of each unit.

Each stair landing in this building is home to three units, facilitating closeness with direct neighbors. There is a 1 bedroom, a 2 bedroom, and a 3 bedroom unit on each floor. The plan is consistent floor to floor for vertical efficiency yet each floor can host a diversity of residents/family types in many stages of life. The neighborhood market + cafe space on the ground floor is not only an amenity to the residents of the building, but also to the greater community.

As is typical for many buildings in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, no vehicle parking is provided because of the ample transit and walkability. As the city continues to grow, the need for a personal vehicle in central Denver will only diminish.