university of iowa's new visual arts building by steven holl

the university of iowa’s new visual arts building by steven holl nears completion
all images courtesy of university of iowa school of art and art history

designed by steven holl architects, the new visual arts facility for the university of iowa’s school of art and art history is nearing completion. the structure replaces the campus’ original 1936 arts building, which was heavily damaged during a flood in june 2008. the new building is situated northwest of ‘art building west’, which steven holl’s team previously completed in 2006. the project provides 126,000 square feet of space for the departments of ceramics, sculpture, metals, photography, print making, and 3D multimedia. it also includes graduate student studios, faculty and staff studios and offices, and gallery space.

the building’s punched concrete frame is now complete

the architecture aims to bring together the different art disciplines within a single 4-storey building. open plan loft-like studio spaces are illuminated with natural light, while interconnection between departments is facilitated by the vertical carving out of large open floor plates. students are able to see activities across these openings, encouraging them to interact with their colleagues and peers. further visual links are facilitated by glass partitions along the studio walls adjacent to internal circulation routes.

the project provides 126,000 square feet of additional space

stairways have been shaped in order to encourage engagement and discussion, while a variety of balconies offer outdoor meeting spaces, and informal work areas. externally, the building’s punched concrete frame is now complete, providing thermal mass at the exterior, while ‘bubble’ slabs ensure radiant cooling and heating. a titanium-zinc skin in weathering blue-green is perforated for sun shade on the southwest and southeast.

the design aims to bring together the different art disciplines within a single 4-storey building

‘while the 2006 arts building west is horizontally porous and of planar composition, the new building will be vertically porous and volumetrically composed,’ explain the architects. ‘the aim of maximum interaction between all departments of the school takes shape in social circulation spaces.’

the visual arts facility arts will open to students in the fall of 2016. see designboom’s previous coverage of the project here.

interconnection between departments is facilitated by the vertical carving out of large open floor plates