The University of Iowa’s new Visual Arts Building is a 126,000-sf facility that will house the functions of the School of Art & Art history, which were previously held in the university’s 1936 Art Building. The new building provides a space for ceramics, sculpture, metals, photography, printmaking, 3D design, intermedia, animation, and graphic design. There is also space for graduate student studies, faculty and staff studios and offices, and gallery space.
The Visual Arts Building uses a punched concrete frame structure composed of cast-in-place concrete to provide thermal mass at the exterior of the building. Meanwhile, “bubble” slabs that incorporate the Cobiax bubble deck system provide radiant cooling and heating.
BNIM, which worked in collaboration with Steven Holl Architects, designed the irregular shape of the building through the use of computer modeling software. This same software was also used to coordinate the installation of the exposed mechanical pipes and ductwork, which proved to be a complex task.
Significant daylighting, natural ventilation at the atrium skylight, thermal mass storage, a thermal active slab heating and cooling system, and highly efficient HVAC systems are key components of the design.
These design components work toward the ultimate goal of the building, which is to provide as much connection and communication between departments as possible. A key aspect of this is the vertical carving out of large open floor plates. Additionally, several vertical cutouts are designed to increase the interaction between the facility’s four levels. The stairs have also been shaped to increase interaction and discussion among the building’s users. Some of the sculptural open stairs stop at large landings with tables and chairs while others open into lounge spaces with built in seating.
The Visual Arts Building officially opened on Oct. 7.
Related Stories
University Buildings | May 19, 2015
Renovate or build new: How to resolve the eternal question
With capital budgets strained, renovation may be an increasingly attractive money-saving option for many college and universities.
University Buildings | May 19, 2015
KU Jayhawks take a gander at a P3 development
The P3 concept is getting a tryout at the University of Kansas, where state funding for construction has fallen from 20% of project costs to about 11% over the last 10 years.
University Buildings | May 5, 2015
Where the university students are (or will be)
SmithGroupJJR's Alexa Bush discusses changing demographics and the search for out-of-state students at public universities.
BIM and Information Technology | Apr 9, 2015
How one team solved a tricky daylighting problem with BIM/VDC tools, iterative design
SRG Partnership's Scott Mooney describes how Grasshopper, Diva, Rhino, and 3D printing were utilized to optimize a daylighting scheme at Oregon State University's new academic building.
Sponsored | University Buildings | Apr 8, 2015
Student Housing: The fight against mold starts in the bathroom
University Buildings | Apr 8, 2015
The competitive advantage of urban higher-ed institutions
In the coming years, urban colleges and universities will outperform their non-urban peers, bolstered by the 77 million Millennials who prefer to live in dense, diverse, and socially rich environments, writes SmithGroupJJR's Michael Johnson.
University Buildings | Mar 18, 2015
Academic incubators: Garage innovation meets higher education
Gensler's Jill Goebel and Christine Durman discuss the role of design in academic incubators, and why many universities are building them to foster student growth.
Retail Centers | Mar 10, 2015
Retrofit projects give dying malls new purpose
Approximately one-third of the country’s 1,200 enclosed malls are dead or dying. The good news is that a sizable portion of that building stock is being repurposed.
University Buildings | Feb 23, 2015
Future-proofing educational institutions: 5 trends to consider
In response to rapidly changing conditions in K-12 and higher education, institutions and school districts should consider these five trends to ensure a productive, educated future.
University Buildings | Feb 20, 2015
Penn strengthens campus security by reviving its surrounding neighborhood
In 1996, the University of Pennsylvania’s sprawling campus in Philadelphia was in the grip of an unprecedented crime wave. But instead of walling themselves off from their surrounding neighborhoods, the school decided to support the community.