Venue
Explore DDD 2026 takes place at the Hydro building on the CSU Spur campus in north Denver.
Photo: CSU Spur
Photo: CSU Spur
Photo: CSU Spur
Photo: CSU Spur
Photo: CSU Spur
Photo: CSU Spur
Photo: Dylan Lindsey
Take the walk
From the street, through the lobby, and into the Confluence Theater where the talks happen.
One building, every format
Hydro's Confluence Theater hosts our single track of expert talks. Classrooms and conference rooms (named after Colorado rivers) run parallel hands-on workshops and open space sessions. A skyline lounge, terraces, and an outdoor Backyard keep hallway conversations going between sessions. The whole conference stays under one roof, with room to spread out.
Not a convention center
This is a building with character: a two-tone perforated metal facade inspired by river eddies, a three-story spiral staircase in the lobby, and a preserved 1930s welding shop integrated into the south end. The atmosphere is intentional and creative, not corporate.
A campus built for learning
CSU Spur is a free, public learning campus on the National Western Center grounds, a $200 million transformation of a former industrial site. The Hydro building opened in 2023 and is designed around water stewardship, with graywater reuse systems, a green roof with solar panels, and LEED Platinum certification in progress. A conference about thoughtful design deserves a venue that practices it.
Denver
Denver is accessible from most US cities with direct flights. The RiNo Art District near the venue has independent restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, and street art. The conference hotel, Catbird Hotel, is two miles south in RiNo.
Getting Here
Hydro at CSU Spur
4777 National Western Dr.
Denver, Colorado 80216
From Denver International Airport: A Line commuter rail, rideshare, or taxi.
By Car (~30 min) →
Uber/Lyft typically $35-45. Compare both apps for best price.
By Train (~40 min) →
RTD A Line: $10.50 day pass. DEN to 38th/Blake, then a short walk.
Parking
Paid parking is required across the whole CSU Spur campus. Park in the lot north of the Vida Building, in the green Event and General Visitor Paid Parking section shown below. The orange section next to it is permit only, and event parking is not allowed there. ADA accessible spaces run along the east edge.
Diagram: CSU Spur
Pay at the lot: scan one of the QR codes posted through the parking areas with your phone, enter your license plate, and pay there. Rates are $10 per day Monday through Thursday and $15 on Friday. If a parking attendant asks, let them know you are there for a CSU Spur event.
Limited free street parking is available along E. Bettie Cram Drive, on both sides, in front of Humane Colorado near the horse facilities. Availability is not guaranteed, and the City and County of Denver actively enforces fire hydrants and posted no parking signs.
Please do not park in the Stockyard Saloon and Legacy Building lot or the Humane Colorado client lot, where vehicles are subject to ticketing and towing. The areas directly in front of the CSU Spur buildings are for loading and unloading only.