Multi-surface ceramic-printed glass integrated into glass curtain wall, 40’x147’x3”
“We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.” – Maya Angelou
The ceramic printed glass Hinge Art on the west façade weaves abstract images of pride and celebration from diverse communities in the immediate UC Davis Health vicinity. The art pays tribute to the richness of cultural heritage by featuring handmade textiles (like quilts, baskets, and embroideries) which are archives of artistry, truths, memory, and relationships within families and across communities.These are the natural, communal and digital fibers connecting us with each other. Horizontal bars of LED lights integrated throughout provide the weft to the weaving, illuminating the glass art by day and night. The subtle and ever shifting lights that play across the surface evoke our primal genetic origins.
About the Building
The California Tower is an expression of UC Davis Health’s core values to advance equity, promote inclusion, and honor Sacramento’s diverse communities and cultures. The Architecture and Integrated Art design—led by SmithGroup Architects—promotes these core values through an exterior and interior designed to welcome and uplift.
At the bend of the tower, referred to as the “Hinge,” the facade integrates Art in Architecture to further celebrate the idea of Diversity. Through J.D. Thompson & Assoc. Art Consultancy, UCDH commissioned California artist Deanna Marsh and team, local to the Sacramento area, who have drawn inspiration from the region to colorfully express the confluence of peoples and places. The glass art rises ten stories, creating a cohesive visual theme celebrating human and natural diversity of the region, from a planning process including collaboration with local communities.
