T3 RiNo

The visible, honest expression of wood sets T3 RiNo apart—a bold demonstration of mass timber’s value for speculative office development. The owners selected timber for this distinctive project to attract tenants seeking healthy, sustainable, Class A workspace. As a testament to its success, all five stories of offices were pre-leased; the building will serve as regional headquarters for Colorado’s largest electric and natural gas energy provider. 
 
T3, which stands for Timber, Transit, Technology, is a repeatable concept developed by Hines to meet the growing demand for sustainable buildings. To date, there are 27 T3 buildings around the world.  
 
Building on this legacy, the 384,000-square-foot T3 RiNo includes five stories of wood-framed offices above ground-floor retail, and an industrial aesthetic that resonates with its location in Denver’s River North (RiNo) Arts District. Built using Type IV-HT construction, the timber structural system gives the project its signature character. A glulam post-and-beam frame supports concrete-topped CLT panels, engineered to reduce vibration and enhance acoustic performance. The timber grid provides efficient structural spans, optimizing wood fiber while adding flexibility for tenant layouts. 
 
Spacious floorplans with 12-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows invite natural light into the interior. A central wood-framed stair rises through the airy, double-height entrance, connecting the ground floor lobby to the second floor tenant lounge, which opens to an expansive outdoor terrace. On the exterior, a transparent facade showcases the timber structure, while exposed columns bring the warmth of the interior to the street, enhancing the public realm. 
 
T3 RiNo was designed to attain several notable certifications, including LEED Gold for sustainability, WiredScore Platinum for infrastructure adaptability, ENERGY STAR for energy efficiency, and WELL Silver for occupant health. The building features a fitness center, bike storage, and proximity to multiple public transit options. Advanced air filtration, outdoor terraces on each level, and abundant natural light further elevate the tenant experience. To optimize energy use and ensure comfort, the architects placed multi-zone HVAC systems on each floor instead of having a large centralized system. This approach was efficient in allowing for smaller ductwork to be integrated cleanly within the timber structure. 
 
Prefabricated timber components allowed for modular construction and off-site fabrication, improving build quality and consistency. According to the project team, this approach reduced jobsite waste and accelerated the construction timeline by about 20 percent, resulting in meaningful cost savings. Exposed wood interiors also minimize the need for finish materials, lowering tenant fit-out costs. 
 
“T3 RiNo combines the environmental benefits of timber construction with evidence-based wellness and biophilic design elements to elevate the workplace experience,” said Stephen Cavanaugh, FAIA, LEED AP, Principal and Design Leader with DLR Group. The fact that it was entirely pre-leased underscores the market’s strong response to this vision.