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Contact UsArt of the City: MSU Denver’s Day Health Institute selects public artists for DHI Tower installations
Colorado-based artist Sandra Fettingis' "All Your Angles Matter" was selected as an interior installation in the forthcoming Gina and Frank Day Health Institute Tower stairwell. Image courtesy Sandra Fettingis
Metropolitan State University of Denver has selected two Colorado artists to create original, site-specific works for the future Gina and Frank Day Health Institute Tower.
Following a competitive selection process conducted through Colorado’s Art in Public Places (AIPP) program, Sandra Fettingis of Lakewood and Lori Accott of Loveland have been chosen to design and install major public artworks that will become permanent features of the new five-story, 70,000+ square-foot facility housed within the College of Health and Human Sciences and scheduled to open in fall 2027.
Exterior rendering of the Day Health Institute Tower from 10th and Champa Streets. Image courtesy Wember
The commissions include one interior installation from Fettingis, entitled “All Your Angles Matter,” located along the Tower’s main stair between the first and second floors; and an exterior work by Acott, dubbed “Crescendo,” integrated into the building’s landscape at its primary entrance.
Rooted in the Platte River landscape and inspired by the resilience and form of Colorado’s state grass (blue grama), “All Your Angles Matter” draws from the Art Deco language of the original building to express a quiet narrative of growth, connection, and holistic wellbeing, according to an artist’s statement from Fettingis.
"All of my work reminds us about the best of who we are," said Lorir Acott about her piece, 'Curiousity.' "The long legs represent rising above life’s challenges, and the figures are universal, representing all of us." Image courtesy Lorri Acott
“I designed [my work] specifically for the MSU Denver Day Health Institute Tower,” Acott said of her proposal. “They all have butterflies representing the transformation of students, staff, and even the patients who will benefit from this this groundbreaking approach to health care.”
Together, these pieces are intended to create a welcoming environment for students, faculty, patients, and the broader community as a reflection of the University’s commitment to whole-person health, community connection, and the power of location.
“More than an aesthetic addition, this work uses beauty to embed meaning, identity, and wellness into the very fabric of the building to shape a space where people feel a deep sense of belonging and place.” Emily Matuszewicz, DHI Executive Director of Development & Partnerships
The AIPP program, administered by Colorado Creative Industries, dedicates a portion of capital construction budgets to public art, supporting local artists while enriching public spaces. For the Day Health Institute Tower project, the total public art budget is approximately $320,000, with distinct allocations for interior and exterior works.
“Public art plays a critical role in shaping how people experience a space,” said Ruth Wilson, Public Art Program Manager with Colorado Creative Industries. “I am thrilled to be working with two local Colorado artists to create site-response artworks for the Day Health Institute Tower. Both [pieces] exemplify how art can actively engage a site with visual storytelling”
The announcement marks the beginning of an extended creative process that will unfold over the next year, offering opportunities to share behind-the-scenes glimpses of each artist’s work as it evolves.
Both selected artists will now enter a design and fabrication phase, working closely with project stakeholders to refine their concepts. Installation is anticipated in spring 2027, near the completion of construction.