Bluff Lake Nature Center Ground Breaking

Access, ecology, and outdoor learning in motion

On a bright March morning, Bluff Lake Nature Center officially broke ground on its Campus Improvements Project—a milestone moment for this 123-acre prairie-wetland corridor tucked into Northeast Denver. Councilwoman Shontel Lewis joined the celebration, along with Bluff Lake staff, project partners, and a cohort of small but enthusiastic shovel-wielders: the Outdoor Homeschool Explorers and Forest Preschoolers.

Superbloom is proud to have led the campus master plan and landscape design alongside Shape Architecture Studio, Howell Construction, and Cumming Group. Together, we’re reshaping the site to meet the needs of its expanding community —while simultaneously enhancing the ecology and natural setting that makes Bluff Lake so unique.

Designs for a Living System

Bluff Lake sits on the former Stapleton Airport site—once tarmac, now a recovering mosaic of prairie, wetland, and riparian edge. Our landscape strategy builds on decades of restoration by integrating trails, play zones, outdoor classrooms, and habitat improvements into a single living system. A key new element is the ADA-accessible ramp and stair system, designed to bridge the upper bluff and the lower creek and lake zones—physically connecting visitors to the site’s full ecological experiences.

The design works as an outdoor lab and classroom: flexible gathering spaces that can host a preschool or a field trip; native vegetation that can handle both summer heat and curious hands; topography that manages stormwater while offering a shady perch to watch ducks on the lake. Grading and planting strategies are tuned to capture stormwater, restore microhabitats, and carve out quiet spots to sit and watch for ducks or dragonflies.

We prioritized fire-adapted species, low-maintenance materials, and resilient systems that perform over time—both functionally and educationally. The result is not just a better Bluff Lake, but a more engaging one, where every slope and swale has something to teach.

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