Federal Home Loan Bank

Substance Architecture

Recognitions: 2019 AIA Iowa Design Award, 2020 Central States Region Awards (Interior Architecture)

Project Description

This workplace houses a member-owned cooperative bank that provides funding solutions and liquidity to nearly 1,400 members. The architect was charged to design a space that would capture the spirit of their enterprise and deliver upon the new workplace goals identified by the client: • increased collaboration • increased mobility and flexibility • promote concentration and activity-based solutions for the work environment. The architect assisted the client with vetting several building solutions for the new office; the optimal solution was to purchase an existing 210,000 square foot office building in downtown Des Moines and perform a full renovation of the facility – including 90,000 square feet on three floors for their own offices. The design creates a new, open two-story “courtyard” lobby. This space, along with an open stair, connects the three office floors, welcomes and orients visitors, and serves as one of many casual workspaces for employees. From this space, visitors can glimpse into various workspaces and meeting spaces and access most of the special amenities including a technology enabled Boardroom and a cafe. A refined material palette of wood and stone unifies the space and informs the spaces around it. Multiple work settings are provided on three floors to allow employees to collaborate. These spaces accommodate many different work styles from group brainstorming and casual, spontaneous meetings, to structured meetings and concentrated individual work. Each of these spaces has a unique character – unified through a common material language. Carefully curated artwork and plant life are used to enliven each of these spaces.