Courtesy of Sasaki Associates

Sasaki Associates, with RDG Planning & Design and Applied Ecological Services (AES), were recently announced as the winning team of the Water Works Parkitecture Competition. The international design competition entailed the creation of a conceptual plan for Water Works Park to form dynamic relationships between the river, the watershed, and the community. Education and the connection between the river and the community were highly stressed in Sasaki’s winning proposal. More images and architects’ description after the break. read more »

© Wayne Johnson, Main Street Studio

Architect: OPN Architects
Location: Johnston, Iowa
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Wayne Johnson, Main Street Studio 

Delta Dental is a national non-profit dental insurance provider with 39 independent member companies devoted to preventative care for oral health and hygiene.  With the hopes of creating an economic branding and highly visible promotional device, Delta employed the architectural services of OPN Architects to develop their corporate headquarters along a major interstate.

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© Wayne Johnson, Main Street Studio

Architect: OPN Architects
Location: Coralville, Iowa
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Wayne Johnson, Main Street Studio 

Designed for the University of Iowa, the Hygienic Laboratory was designed by OPN Architects and was completed in 2010 as a collaborative and interdisciplinary laboratory facility.  In addition to both closed and open laboratory space, the complex features traditional academic functions such as office space, workspaces, and group meeting space.  More images and architect description after the break.

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© Wayne Johnson, Main Street Studio

Architect: OPN Architects
Location: Coralville, Iowa
Project Year: 2009
Engineer: KJWW Engineering Consultants
Photographs: Wayne Johnson, Main Street Studio 

The BioVentures Center is a new office and laboratory facility on the campus of the University of Iowa that functions as a collaborative environment and business incubator for biotech start-ups and the academic field.  The 80,000sf facility was designed by OPN Architects of Cedar Rapids, Iowa in conjunction with KJWW Engineering and Consultants.  In addition to traditional academic functions, half of the buildings usable area was designed as speculative lab space and is available for commercial lease.

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© Wayne Johnson, Main Street Studio

Architect: OPN Architects
Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Project Year: 2009
Photographs: Wayne Johnson, Main Street Studio 

Designed by OPN Architects, the Kirkwood Horticulture Building at Kirkwood Community College is a 40,000sf facility that houses the burgeoning floral and horticultural program for its host school.  In addition to typical academic programs such as lecture halls, office space, student commons, and laboratory facilities, the complex also includes an 8,500sf greenhouse for production.  More images and architect description after the break.

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© Farshid Assassi

This 5,200 square foot design studio for architects, interior designers, and graphic designers occupies the second floor of an early 20th century loft building in Des Moines, Iowa. This industrial volume has a powerful presence with large, steel trusses forming a grand, column-free space and imposing an order upon the final design.

Architect: substance
Location: Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Project Area: 5,200 sqf
Project Year: 2005
Photographs: Farshid Assassi/Assassi Productions

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© Farshid Assassi

This 2,700 square foot loft apartment in downtown Des Moines was designed for a single doctor interested in fine art and urban living. Organizationally, the loft was conceived as a simple, linear volume containing the major public spaces (kitchen, dining, living, media, and bedroom) served by a series of smaller, more private spaces (laundry, master bath, office, powder room, pantry, and guest bath). The public spaces were placed adjacent to the building’s exterior, providing each with sweeping views of the city skyline to the north and west, while the private spaces were placed next to the building’s core and separated from the main volume by a thick gallery wall.

Architect: substance
Location: Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Project Area: 2,700 sqf
Project Year: 2007
Photographs: Farshid Assassi/Assassi Productions

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© Farshid Assassi

Jasper wines have been locally made in Newton, Iowa since 2004 and their recent growth created the need for much larger facilities. Rather than expanding in Newton they decided to relocate their new winemaking and events facility just south of downtown Des Moines. substance developed an 8,100 square foot building on a four-acre landscaped site which includes a small vineyard, gardens, outdoor event areas, and covered walkways and patios. The winery provides production facilities for 10,000 cases of wine annually, a tasting and café area, a banquet facility for groups of 125 people, and associated service functions.

Architect: substance
Location: Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Project Area: 8,100 sqf
Project Year: 2008
Photographs: Farshid Assassi/Assassi Productions

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© Paul Crosby Architectural Photography

This project involved providing parking for 490+ vehicles, an enclosed passenger waiting area, passenger shelters at five new and existing bus stops on campus, a solar panel array that will result in a net-zero electricity use for the building, and the relocation of West 23rd Street and two University rental properties. In total it provides a net gain of approximately 281 parking spaces on the site. In addition, the project provides a central location for off-campus residents and visitors to park and have access to the University transit system/Panther Shuttle and the Metropolitan Transit Authority routes, which serve the cities of Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. The re-design of West 23rd Street complements the City of Cedar Falls’ efforts on its streetscape project for West 23rd Street and the adjacent College Hill area.

Architect: substance
Location: Cedar Falls, Iowa, USA
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Paul Crosby Architectural Photography

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© Max Kun Zhang

Safdie Rabines Architects‘ restoration and rehabilitation of this original 1800’s railway bridge provides a new scenic bicycle and pedestrian link over the Des Moines River. The Des Moines Union Railway Bridge anchors the south end of the Des Moines’ Principal Riverwalk, which connects the east and west sides of downtown through a series of lighted and landscaped walking paths and bridges.

Further description and drawings after the break.

Architect: Safdie Rabines Architects
Location: Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Civil/Structural/Electrical Engineer: Stanley Consultants
Lighting: RDG Planning & Design
Landscape: Wallace Roberts & Todd
Project Area: 385 ft span
Project Year: 2006
Photographs: Max Kun Zhang

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© Assassi Productions

Designed by BNIM, the 2011 AIA National Architecture Firm, the Midwest Retreat is located in rural Iowa.  The retreat was designed as a venue for both social and business gatherings. Because of this dual use, the programmatic relationships and requirements depart in subtle but important ways from that of a typical residence.

Architects: BNIM
Location: Iowa, USA
Structural Engineer: Charles Saul Engineering
General Contractor: W.R. Main
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Assassi Productions

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© Paul Crosby

Architects: Substance Architecture
Location: Iowa, USA
Project Area: 4,200 sqm
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Paul Crosby

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© Paul Crosby Architectural Photography

Architects: Min | Day – E.B. Min, Jeffrey L. Day.
Location: West Lake Okoboji, Iowa, United States
Project team: Nicholas Papaefthimiou, Kristine Mummert, Matt Cavin, Christina Kaneva, Jeff Davis, Matt Goldsberry
Client: Paul & Annette Smith
Landscape design: Min | Day
Lighting Design: HLB Lighting Design / Min | Day
Size: 6000 square feet
Year: 2008
Photographs: Paul Crosby Architectural Photography

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