Women's Bean Project Headquarters

Adaptive Re-use Social Enterprise Transformational women’s employment training.

• Denver, Colorado 
• 18,900 s.f. 
• $3.5 Million

Program

The Women’s Bean Project, a not for profit entity, works to transform at-risk women’s lives by giving them the skills to become successful, working members of their families and community. Employment and other training occur for their clients in both classroom and meeting spaces, and by working in the production of high quality dried foods. 

The functions of the project naturally divided into four groupings of spaces: Staff administration, classrooms, meeting and social space, and dry food goods production.

Site

An existing 30 year-old former auto dealership and repair building proved a perfect fit for the program of roughly half office space and half production facility.

Solution

The eastern portion of the building, formerly the dealership offices, was converted into the administration and classroom spaces. The large open-span auto repair shop became the food production facility, with receiving, storage, production and shipping, and ample room to grow. Between the two a “HUB” was created as a two story space with overlooking mezzanine which housed event space, demonstration kitchen, and various flexible meeting spaces.