Elsy Studios, a Denver‐based full-service commercial interior design firm, recently completed a new office space for Colorado’s Health Capitol, led by nonprofit organization Healthier Colorado. Located at 303 E. 17th Ave. in downtown Denver, the new 22,481-square-foot space is a first-of-its kind collaborative work environment for Colorado’s health and wellbeing advocacy community.
“We wanted to break down the siloes in the health and well-being sector,” said Jake Williams, executive director with Colorado’s Health Capitol. “Together with Elsy Studios, we envisioned a design that encourages engagement between organizations and allows for a more holistic approach, particularly for those of us working on health policy in Colorado. We’re already seeing the positive impacts of this new work environment on our community.”
Elsy Studios designed Colorado’s Health Capitol to allow up to 150 people working for health-focused organizations to office under the same roof, providing private offices, dedicated workstations and hot desks to accommodate a variety of work needs.
“Our design for Colorado’s Health Capitol recognizes the power of collaboration and celebrates the many diverse communities and geographies these nonprofits serve here in Colorado,” said Carmen Schechinger, senior project manager at Elsy Studios. “We’re incredibly proud to support the mission of elevating the well-being of people in our state through this innovative new space.”
The design of the office creates a distinctive sense of place, with vibrant artwork that celebrates Colorado’s different geographical regions. Working with Make West and artist Tuke One, Elsy Studios’ design team brought the space to life with graffiti-style murals on walls and oversized columns, each representing a unique section of the state.
Additionally, the office features a variety of meeting rooms, including a 75-person conference center with stadium seating, a multipurpose wellness room, and a media production room. Meeting rooms are fully equipped to support both in-person presentations as well as remote collaboration.
“Ordinarily, these aren’t the kind of resources most nonprofits have access to,” Williams added. “Leveraging economies of scale, we’re able to make it affordable for nonprofits and convenient for the partners they work with to come together. We see this new office as the hub of health policy in Colorado.”
Health Capitol was made possible through the support of Caring for Colorado Foundation, The Colorado Health Foundation, The Bohemian Foundation, The Gates Family Foundation, Rose Community Foundation and Telligen Community Initiative. Partners on the office build-out included Make West, which supported curation of the branding elements and the graffiti art, Sundance Project Management, Edifice Construction and Forte Commercial Real Estate.
Photos courtesy of Travis Hawkes and Brett Stakelinc
