Lafayette and Medtronic Public Art Project

A global leader in medical technology, Medtronic is constructing a new 42-acre campus in the City of Lafayette at the corner of Northwest Parkway and Highway 287. Understanding this is a southern gateway into the City, Medtronic decided to increase their Public Art commitment from 30,000 to $150,000, well above the minimum requirement. Lafayette is partnering with Medtronic to procure a welcoming, inspiring, and unique gateway art piece for residents and visitors. With the city's match, the total public art budget will be $300,000.

Advisory Committee

Lafayette and Medtronic assembled an Advisory Committee to oversee the procurement of the public art piece and ensure an inclusive, intentional, and transparent process. The Advisory Committee is made up of six representatives from city staff, Medtronic, the Public Art Committee, and the Lafayette community.

Public Art Location

The Public Art piece location will be along Highway 287 on the Medtronic campus. Drivers will be able to view the art piece entering or leaving the city at the southern gateway. Pedestrians will be able to view the art piece along a new multimodal path that will be constructed.

Community Engagement Opportunity

This survey closed April 4th. We are so excited to see such great participation with 464 responses! The Advisory Committee will select the final art piece in April based on the project goals, feasibility, maintenance requirements, budget, schedule, artist references, and community feedback. The final three proposals are below for reference:

James Brenner: Name TBD

Landscape and technology intertwine to represent the relationship between Medtronic and Lafayette CO in an iconic sculpture. Medtronic creates a space for creativity and innovation within their organization and the things they produce are small miracles in how they promote the health of the human body in a variety of ways and locations. The sculpture will appear as such: a series of seven peaks progressing from the horizontal to vertical, to horizontal, creating a wave of movement inspired by both the mountains and the human anatomy of the spine.

• Conceptual Design
• Video

James Dinh and Michael Stutz: Currents Connect

The proposed sculpture captures a sense of aspiration, freedom, health, and community in its bold representation of two soaring hawks. The Lafayette area serves as a habitat for several species of hawks and in 2019 the city was designated as Colorado’s first “Bird City”. The artwork aims to be inclusive and welcoming to all people, in that its subject matter can be understood in both literal and metaphorical ways.

• Conceptual Design
• Video

Robert Tully and Sarah Ortegon: Leaf Riders

Inspiration of diversity and the values of sustainability with nature and imaginative, people-oriented innovation. Small human figures of different colors reflect the diversity and everyone’s common bond to nature and a sustainable future. Other inspirations come from the location--the grassland environment of Lafayette, its agricultural history with wheat and other grains, the historical home of Native Americans, and the well-known coal history.

• Conceptual Design
• Video