Sometime next month, the gas and convenience-store retailer Kum & Go will officially break ground on its new headquarters, to be located at the Pappajohn Sculpture Park in downtown Des Moines, Iowa.
Construction fencing has already been installed around the perimeter of the site, and destruction of two small existing buildings on the southwest corner of the lot has begun, according to a Kum & Go spokesperson.
The five-story, $151 million headquarters, topped by a rooftop garden, will be the centerpiece of a four-acre redevelopment master plan in Des Moines’ Gateway West neighborhood.
Last year, the Krause family, which owns Kum & Go, chose the design proposed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop over five other contenders. That design gives the appearance of white floor plates floating atop white pillars, and creates canopies on all sides of the building.
In a statement, the Pritzker Prize-winning Piano spoke of the building’s “lightness, simplicity, and openness.” The building’s design is also intended to complement the sculptures in the nearby sculpture park. In fact, the entire plaza surrounding the building will be landscaped and serve as a natural extension of the park.
“Large cantilevers from the upper floors form the continuation of the urban edge along Grand Avenue and Gateway Park,” according to the city’s Urban Design Review Board. “The project relies on landscape to form the edges on the other three sides of the building. The fifth floor is rotated to acknowledge the site’s location at the splay of downtown’s urban grids, with the rotation allowing for a gracious roof terrace overlooking the Park and downtown.”
The building will total 159,000 sf, according to the city report. It will house a gallery for the owners’ art collection, and include a game room for employees, an outdoor meeting space, underground parking for 225 vehicles, and a fitness room.
The building is scheduled to open in early 2018 with 300 to 325 employees, but would have space for 800. It is projected to achieve LEED Silver certification. Des Moines-based OPN Architects is providing architectural counsel and construction drawings. Ryan Companies US is the local builder/contractor.
Kum & Go has more than 430 stores 4,700 employees in 11 states.
Related Stories
| Mar 20, 2014
D.C. breaks ground on $2B mega waterfront development [slideshow]
When complete, the Wharf will feature approximately 3 million sf of new residential, office, hotel, retail, cultural, and public uses, including waterfront parks, promenades, piers, and docks.
| Mar 17, 2014
Rem Koolhaas explains China's plans for its 'ghost cities'
China's goal, according to Koolhaas, is to de-incentivize migration into already overcrowded cities.
| Mar 13, 2014
Austria's tallest tower shimmers with striking 'folded façade' [slideshow]
The 58-story DC Tower 1 is the first of two high-rises designed by Dominique Perrault Architecture for Vienna's skyline.
| Mar 12, 2014
London grows up: 236 tall buildings to be added to skyline in coming decade, says think tank
The vast majority of high-rise projects in the works are residential towers, which could help tackle the city's housing crisis, according to a new report by New London Architecture.
| Mar 12, 2014
14 new ideas for doors and door hardware
From a high-tech classroom lockdown system to an impact-resistant wide-stile door line, BD+C editors present a collection of door and door hardware innovations.
| Feb 27, 2014
Open or private offices? It depends on the business plan
Open layouts are grabbing headlines as a hallmark of the new workplace—think the Google campus or Facebook's headquarters. And for smaller-scale operations, open designs are often lauded for being less expensive than private office plans. But does that mean all offices should have an open layout?
| Feb 25, 2014
NYC's Hudson Spire would be nation's tallest tower if built
Design architect MJM + A has released an updated design scheme for the planned 1,800-foot-tall, superthin skyscraper.
| Feb 20, 2014
5 myths about cross laminated timber
A CLT expert clears up several common misconceptions and myths surrounding the use of wood as a building material.
Sponsored | | Feb 20, 2014
Chicago’s historic Wrigley Building renovated to attract tech companies
Purchased in 2011 by a consortium of investors led by BDT Capital Partners, the building’s new owners have recently renovated and reimagined the next life for this architectural landmark—as a hub for tech firms.
| Feb 20, 2014
World's longest desk? Massive, undulating desk accommodates 145 office workers [video]
The desk is built from plywood and one continuous sheet of resin, and can serve all 145 office employees at once.
