The Given Institute
Encyclopedia
The Given Institute in Aspen Colorado
was built to house the Advances in Molecular Biology Conference sponsored by the University of Colorado School of Medicine. This Conference on medical research was in keeping with the tradition of "The Aspen Idea" creating a space for thinkers, leaders, artists and musicians from all over the world to join together in a setting that feeds the "Mind, Body and Spirit".
Other sponsors of the Conference were the National Institute of Health, the National Research Council
, and the National Academy of Scientists.HPC.
As the popularity of the Conference increased it grew to 4 sessions per summer. It was reported in the 1967 Aspen Times that several thousand potential attendees were denied due to the lack of meeting space.
to develop a permanent Conference facility with a laboratory attached. The 2+ acres of land overlooking Hallam Lake was sold to the University of Colorado by Elizabeth Paepcke for half it's market value. Dr. King negotiated with the Irene Heinz Given (daughter of H.J. Heinz) and John LaPorte Given Foundation for construction funds. A $500,000 donation was secured and the building named in honor of the Given Foundation. Other donations towards construction costs came from Harvard University
and other schools.
Mrs. Paepcke was also instrumental in contracting fellow Chicagoan and Cranbrook alumni Architect Harry Weese
to design the new building. Mr. Weese had recently designed the Arena Stage
Fichhandler and Kreeger stages for Zelda Fichandler
.
The Given Institute design, according to the National Register of Historic Places
, is 12800 square feet (1,189.2 m²) and consists of a series of geometric volumes loosely configured in a square plan, 90 feet (27.4 m) by 90 feet (27.4 m). Both in plan and façade, geometries of circles, squares, and triangles are deliberately interwoven, juxtaposed, and pushed beyond the boundary of the square. When it was completed, architecture critic Janet Bloom noted: “The basic square of the plan is maintained by brick terracing. But the dominance of the full circle can be enjoyed from at least three sides. As Harry Weese puts it, they ‘extracted as much from the three-dimensional possibilities’ as they could, especially by nudging the circle a little beyond the boundaries of the square. The porthole windows are reminders of the circle where it is least apparent.”'
and other donations. When the NIH support ended maintenance costs were entirely borne by the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
The Given Institute currently hosts 10 free public lectures a year and numerous lectures from experts in various fields including bio-terrorism to sports medicine. Several other non-profit organizations use the Institute as a Conference center including the Aspen Valley Medical Foundation, the Aspen Global Change Institute, the Aspen Film Festival, the Aspen Writers Foundation, the Himalayan Rescue Association The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies
Aspen, Colorado
The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
was built to house the Advances in Molecular Biology Conference sponsored by the University of Colorado School of Medicine. This Conference on medical research was in keeping with the tradition of "The Aspen Idea" creating a space for thinkers, leaders, artists and musicians from all over the world to join together in a setting that feeds the "Mind, Body and Spirit".
History of the Conference
The first Conference was held in the Aspen Middle School gymnasium in 1964. Dr. Donald West King then Chairman of the Department of Pathology at the University of Colorado Medical School was the original organizer of the Conference. The purpose of the Conference was to create a place where faculty, fellows and residents could discuss developments in newly emerging field of biomedical researchBiomedical research
Biomedical research , in general simply known as medical research, is the basic research, applied research, or translational research conducted to aid and support the body of knowledge in the field of medicine...
Other sponsors of the Conference were the National Institute of Health, the National Research Council
United States National Research Council
The National Research Council of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academies, carrying out most of the studies done in their names.The National Academies include:* National Academy of Sciences...
, and the National Academy of Scientists.HPC.
As the popularity of the Conference increased it grew to 4 sessions per summer. It was reported in the 1967 Aspen Times that several thousand potential attendees were denied due to the lack of meeting space.
The Building
That same year negotiations started with the Aspen InstituteAspen Institute
The Aspen Institute is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1950 as the Aspen Institute of Humanistic Studies. The organization is dedicated to "fostering enlightened leadership, the appreciation of timeless ideas and values, and open-minded dialogue on contemporary issues." The...
to develop a permanent Conference facility with a laboratory attached. The 2+ acres of land overlooking Hallam Lake was sold to the University of Colorado by Elizabeth Paepcke for half it's market value. Dr. King negotiated with the Irene Heinz Given (daughter of H.J. Heinz) and John LaPorte Given Foundation for construction funds. A $500,000 donation was secured and the building named in honor of the Given Foundation. Other donations towards construction costs came from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and other schools.
Mrs. Paepcke was also instrumental in contracting fellow Chicagoan and Cranbrook alumni Architect Harry Weese
Harry Weese
Harry Mohr Weese was an American architect, born in Evanston, Illinois in the Chicago suburbs, who had an important role in 20th century modernism and historic preservation...
to design the new building. Mr. Weese had recently designed the Arena Stage
Arena Stage
Arena Stage is a not-for-profit regional theater based in Southwest Washington, D.C. Its declared mission"is to produce huge plays of all that is passionate, exuberant, profound, deep and dangerous in the American spirit. Arena has broad shoulders and a capacity to produce anything from vast epics...
Fichhandler and Kreeger stages for Zelda Fichandler
Zelda Fichandler
Zelda Fichandler is an American stage producer, director, and educator, best known as cofounder and longtime artistic director of the Arena Stage theatre in Washington, D.C....
.
The Given Institute design, according to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, is 12800 square feet (1,189.2 m²) and consists of a series of geometric volumes loosely configured in a square plan, 90 feet (27.4 m) by 90 feet (27.4 m). Both in plan and façade, geometries of circles, squares, and triangles are deliberately interwoven, juxtaposed, and pushed beyond the boundary of the square. When it was completed, architecture critic Janet Bloom noted: “The basic square of the plan is maintained by brick terracing. But the dominance of the full circle can be enjoyed from at least three sides. As Harry Weese puts it, they ‘extracted as much from the three-dimensional possibilities’ as they could, especially by nudging the circle a little beyond the boundaries of the square. The porthole windows are reminders of the circle where it is least apparent.”'
Historical Use
Until the late 1980s facility maintenance costs were provided by the National Institutes of HealthNational Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
and other donations. When the NIH support ended maintenance costs were entirely borne by the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
The Given Institute currently hosts 10 free public lectures a year and numerous lectures from experts in various fields including bio-terrorism to sports medicine. Several other non-profit organizations use the Institute as a Conference center including the Aspen Valley Medical Foundation, the Aspen Global Change Institute, the Aspen Film Festival, the Aspen Writers Foundation, the Himalayan Rescue Association The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies
Epilogue
The Given Institute was sold and demolished by the University of Colorado School of Medicine in April of 2011.Further reading
- The University of Colorado School of Medicine: A Millennial History by Henry N. Claman, Robert H. Shikes
- Process:Architecture Magazine No. 11, Harry Weese: Humanism and Tradition ISBN 0-8986-024-3
- National Trust for Historic Preservation| National Trust for Historic Preservation Aspen Modern
- The City of Aspen
- The Historic Preservation Commission for the City of Aspen
- Architects + Artisans
- The University of Colorado School of Medicine
- The Aspen Times
- HPC meeting Harry Teague's presentation video