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Blog posts tagged with '#colorado'

Birdsong Park
Birdsong Park

Located in the heart of the beautiful Prairie Song residential community, Bird Song Park is a destination designed to bring people together. With scenic walking trails, open green spaces, neighborhood amenities, and thoughtfully designed gathering areas, the park serves as a central hub for residents to relax, play, and connect with nature.

Spanning approximately 600 acres, the Prairie Song development embraces both modern design and the natural beauty of northern Colorado. One of the park's most eye-catching architectural features is a series of elegant, curved steel canopies that provide shade while creating a striking visual focal point. These graceful structures were made possible through Albina's expertise in precision steel bending.

For this project, Albina rolled 26 pieces of TS 8" × 4" × .375" wall A847 tubing and 26 pieces of TS 3" × 2" × .250" wall A847 tubing. Every piece was CORTEN weathering steel, a material chosen for both its appearance and exceptional durability.

Unlike conventional structural steel, CORTEN steel is engineered to develop a stable protective patina as it is exposed to the elements. Over time, this natural weathering process creates the rich, rust-like finish that has become a favorite among architects and designers. Beyond its distinctive appearance, the protective patina helps shield the steel from further corrosion, making it an ideal choice for outdoor structures that require minimal maintenance while standing up to years of exposure.

The sweeping curves of the canopies demonstrate how steel can be transformed into more than just a structural element - it becomes an architectural statement. Curved members soften the overall design, create visual movement, and complement the surrounding landscape in a way that straight sections simply cannot.

Projects like Bird Song Park showcase the versatility of rolled structural steel and the important role it plays in modern architectural design. Whether supporting public parks, commercial developments, or civic spaces, precision-curved steel allows architects to achieve bold, distinctive designs without sacrificing strength or longevity.

At Albina, we take pride in helping bring these visions to life through our precision rolling capabilities. The curved CORTEN steel canopies at Bird Song Park are a perfect example of how thoughtful engineering and expert craftsmanship can create beautiful, lasting spaces that communities will enjoy for generations.

Birdsong Park Windsor, Colorado Prairie Song Residential Community side curved view

Birdsong Park Windsor, Colorado Prairie Song Residential Community highlighting CORTEN steel

Birdsong Park Windsor, Colorado Prairie Song Residential Community CORTEN close up

Birdsong Park Windsor, Colorado Prairie Song Residential Community panoramic view

Anythink Nature Library
Anythink Nature Library

Anythink Nature Library in Thornton, CO! Opening August 8, 2026 it is “designed to be the nation's first public nature library, combining a traditional library with outdoor education, environmental learning, and direct access to nature.” The library was built on a 5-acre campus with direct access to the 140-acre Aylor Open Lands trail system. It also has outdoor gardens, a nature lab, sun and dark rooms, a café, and lots of lovely themed spaces to explore! Designed with sustainability in mind and “environmental stewardship as its central mission”, steel was the perfect choice for construction! Steel is an incredibly sustainable material, and curved steel in particular has a strong aesthetic appeal. Be sure to check out the Anythink Nature Library when it opens on August 8!

Totaling 79,450 lbs, Albina curved:

TS 6" X 6" X .250" WALL A500 GR C

11 pcs rolled from 12’ to 49’ radii

&

10¾" OD X .593" WALL A500 GR. C

67 pcs rolled per drawings

For this project.

Check out the video on our social media outlets to see how the steel went from being curved at Albina, to being installed in Colorado and now what it looks like today, 10 days before the grand opening!! Focused on sustainability, the curved steel tree like structure is a perfect accent to the Anything Nature Library’s mission and goals to share the nation’s first public nature library!

Read more at https://www.anythinklibraries.org/news/anythink-nature-library-opens-aug-8-as-nations-first-public-nature-library/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Photo Credit and Fabrication: Zimmerman Metals

Anythink Nature Library Thornton, CO curved steel canopy

Anythink Nature Library Thornton, CO front facade

Anythink Nature Library Thornton, CO curved steel canopy

Anythink Nature Library Thornton, CO front facade side angle

Anythink Nature Library Thornton, CO front facade lights

Coal Creek Park
Coal Creek Park

Coal Creek Park in Erie, Colorado!
This 6.5-acre park is in the heart of Erie, Colorado. It is home to an ice rink, café, splash pad, play structure, walking path, and multiple curved steel canopies. The park hosts many events throughout the year including outdoor concerts, town fairs, and festivals.
For this project Albina bent various sizes of Angle, Wide Flange, Channel, and Tube Steel totaling 101 pieces and 55,702 pounds!

 

Outdoor curved steel park canopy complete

Outdoor curved steel park canopy complete seating area

Outdoor curved steel park canopy complete shade structure

Outdoor curved steel park canopy complete playground

Outdoor curved steel park canopy complete playground alternate angle

Outdoor curved steel park canopy complete ice rink area

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