Urban Sketching Walking Tour of Downtown Denver

Take part in creative, hands-on engagement with Denver’s built environment and sharpen your observational and visualization skills. By sketching iconic landmarks such as the Convention Center Blue Bear, 16th Street Mall, and Union Station, gain a deeper understanding of how these areas function within the urban fabric. This practice cultivates an enhanced ability to observe urban design by focusing on spaces, movement, and interactions — elements that might be overlooked in traditional planning approaches. As Denver and other cities seek to creatively revitalize their downtowns post-pandemic, pick up valuable tools and insights into the city’s past and current revitalization efforts to promote a downtown that serves everyone.

Urban sketching allows planners to view the city from a fresh perspective, using visual storytelling to capture physical structures and human experiences within them. By documenting their surroundings, planners develop new ways to communicate design concepts, ultimately enhancing their ability to create inclusive, functional urban environments. This artistic approach fosters critical thinking and strengthens planners' advocacy for designs that reflect and respond to diverse community needs.