Old Alt New logo. Black text on a white square background.
Architect Stewart Gohringer at work in Old Alt New's home office. A large desk with a computer monitor and lots of reference materials within easy reach.

About:

Old Alt New

Old Alt New is an architecture, design, and consulting office in Denver, Colorado. It was founded in 2021 by architect Stewart Gohringer.

Old Alt New is a product of its time and hopes to produce small but meaningful improvements to our collective built environment. This office is committed to:

  • urban infill - sensitively adding density to existing neighborhoods

  • the use of low-carbon construction materials

  • high-performance building standards that optimize comfort

  • contributing something beautiful and unique, every time

These commitments are not dependent on the client, project, or budget.

Many of our world’s challenges are overwhelming and intractable. A frustrated architect cannot solve all of these problems, but optimistic architecture will stop repeating the mistakes of the past and present.

What’s with the name?

The Old Alt New Logo, but only the work 'Old' is displayed.

old [ ōhld ]

definition:

  1. something that's already been created

  2. something that has seen some history

  3. something we need to deal with one way or another

Let's focus on what we already have.

Existing furniture. Existing housing stock. Existing neighborhoods. Existing infrastructure. Existing communities.

We've already built most of what we need...let's use it.

The Old Alt New Logo, but only the work 'Alt' is displayed.

abbreviation of alter [ al-ter ]

abbrev. of alternative [ al-tur-nuh-tiv ]

definition:

  1. to change, manipulate, or reconfigure

  2. a different way of thinking about the status quo

  3. in German, 'alt' just happens to be the word for 'old' - which is a nice coincidence

The status quo is not sustainable. Adjust, adapt, renovate, restore.

We cannot change the past, but thoughtful design can alter the future.

The Old Alt New Logo, but only the work 'New' is displayed.

new [ nu ]

definition:

  1. something generated from the present

  2. an appropriation of limited resources

  3. an improvement from what we have now...otherwise, what's the point of being new?

Progress requires new approaches to existing challenges.

New purpose, new equity, new resource-adjusted standards of beauty.

But the use of new resources and materials should only come after great scrutiny and consideration.

Our new and better world starts with the world we already have.

More questions about Old Alt New?

See the Frequently Asked Questions page for more answers:

A drawing of hand-drawn parallel black lines grouped thogether to form circles.
Profile photo of Stewart Gohringer standing.
A drawing of a man's face in profile, mouth open and biting down on the numbers 2024.
A hand drawn sketch of a two year old wearing sunglasses and looking cool.
Profile photo of Stewart Gohringer with sunglasses on.

About:

Stewart Gohringer

Stewart is a licensed architect and a Phius Certified Passive House Consultant. His architectural experience has included university campus master plans, a theoretical and experimental physics research lab, a Division I basketball training facility, a student commons concourse, and several multi-family apartment buildings in metro Denver.

Since 2021, Stewart has focused on residential design and renovation, starting his practice, Old Alt New LLC, with a gut renovation and deep energy retrofit of an old, small, derelict house in North Denver.

Stewart and his family live in the La Alma / Lincoln Park neighborhood of Denver, Colorado, USA.

Location History:

Rochester, NY -> Muskoka, Ontario -> Buffalo, NY -> Somerville, MA -> New York, NY -> Denver, CO

Education History:

Brighton High School -> University at Buffalo, SUNY -> Harvard Graduate School of Design -> YouTube -> Phius (Passive House Institute US)

Employment History:

  • Old Alt New / Denver, CO (2021 - Present)

  • Shears Adkins Rockmore (SAR+) / Denver, CO (2019-2021)

  • Perkins Eastman / New York, NY (2012-2019)

  • Student Internships / Cambridge, MA & New York, NY (Summers 2009-2011)

  • Architectural Resources / Buffalo, NY (2008)

  • Peter Plastic Old Home Repair / Rochester, NY (Summers 2004-2007)

Take a look at recent projects and previous work:

Take a look at Stewart’s collection of graphics and prints: