Venture Architecture asked us to create a custom stone reception desk for their client, the Alterra Mountain Company, a mountain real estate and hospitality company based in Denver, Colorado.
Our task was to manage the technical specification, planning, fabrication, and delivery of a custom reception desk that symbolizes the company’s passion for mountain geography, travel, and the outdoors.
From Design to Delivery
Venture Architecture had a clear vision of a design that retained the authentic character of mountain-quarried marble and the hand-chiseled fabrication process. The desk was to be a unique handcrafted piece, carved from solid stone blocks, representing the values and brand of their client.
The Davani Group worked with Venture Architecture and with expert marble craftsmen in Italy to guide this project to completion on budget and on schedule. We collaborated on the development of technical specifications and drawings, provided custom quotes and budgeting, consulted on the selection and sourcing of marble and other materials, coordinated fabrication, and planned the logistics of shipping the 7,300-pound reception desk from Italy to Denver.
Both Venture Architecture and the Alterra Mountain Company were thrilled with the custom reception desk we delivered. Today, visitors to the Alterra Mountain Company’s offices in Denver encounter a one-of-kind reception desk that perfectly complements the office’s architecture and the company’s ethos.
“We thought our collaboration with the Davani Group was incredibly direct and efficient. We were worried about communicating with two entities with locations both domestic and abroad. However, the team, process, and communication were nearly seamless. Their team was also responsive to our feedback and creative in problem-solving. Ultimately, the Davani Group met all of their deadlines without sacrificing craft or quality, ” said Helen Tibbot, project manager at Venture Architecture.
Solving Problems Together
Venture Architecture had a tight schedule and strict size and weight constraints for the finished product. We consulted with them throughout the planning and fabrication phases to ensure that the reception desk met and exceeded their client’s aesthetic and technical requirements.
Among the design and fabrication challenges we faced was that of weight. A solid marble reception desk as initially envisioned would have been too heavy. The desk had to conform to the size and weight constraints of the office’s elevator, which could not have lifted that much solid marble.
It was vital to reduce the weight of the desk without compromising the design vision. As you can see from the video, the solution was to remove a series of cores from within the body of the desk, something we were able to accomplish without changing the project’s planned schedule.
“We had a very tight schedule to adhere to as well as some very strict size and weight – constraints. The Davani Group worked to bring the weight of the desk down by half of the original estimate and came up with a variety of options to ensure it would fit within the elevator cab, all while maintaining the project shipping and delivery date,” Tibbot said.
Venture Architecture is one of the many clients that the Davani Group has worked with to create unique custom stone furniture.
About Anthony:
Anthony Davani is the CEO of The Davani Group, fabricators of high-end and custom furniture and decor. The Davani Group produces luxury custom furniture for some of the most well known Italian and American brands from the most exclusive materials on Earth.
