Upcoming Event
Free Newsletter
TRIO, CU Denver partner to link design and health research
ColoradoBiz Staff //June 26, 2025//
DENVER — TRIO, a Denver-based interior architecture and design firm, has announced new academic partnerships with the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts and the University of Colorado Denver’s Design/HEALth advisory council. The collaborations are part of the firm’s strategy to lead through innovation and evidence-based design.
In Brief:
- TRIO partners with CU Denver and IDSVA on design research
- Focus on linking interior design to occupant health
- Initiatives include summits and best-practice publications
- CEO Angela Harris also pursuing Ph.D. in visual arts
“When we are not designing, we are researching, innovating and sharing our insights, contributing to organizations that share our values around what it truly means to build thriving communities,” said Angela Harris, TRIO’s chief executive officer. “We’re committed to the research and development side of our industry and to measuring how our design decisions impact lives and improve health outcomes.”
The firm is focusing on the connection between design and health, noting that people spend nearly 90 percent of their lives indoors. By integrating academic research into practice, TRIO aims to implement strategies that promote well-being, increase functionality and build more resilient communities.
Harris also serves on CU Denver’s Design/HEALth advisory council, which brings together professionals from medicine, psychology, architecture and design to examine how environmental factors influence health. The initiative will lead to DESIGN/HEALth Summits and publications that highlight emerging best practices.
In addition to her advisory role, Harris is pursuing a Ph.D. in Visual Arts through IDSVA, focusing her research on aesthetics, design and the built environment. The work reinforces TRIO’s commitment to thought leadership in the design industry.
Company officials said the partnerships are a key part of TRIO’s growth strategy, reflecting its belief that design is not only aesthetic but also ethical, empirical and central to community well-being.
o
