Location
West Des Moines, Iowa
Year
2015
Size
50,000 SF
Client
Confidential
Project Team
Todd Garner
Tim Hickman
Kevin Wagner
A burgeoning corporate campus in West Des Moines, IA, spanning 160 acres, needed a new cafeteria and space to host large employee trainings and events for its growing workforce. The owner prioritized a design that would seamlessly integrate with the existing campus, make a strong first impression on new employees and visitors, and harmonize with the surrounding landscape. The Substance Architecture team conceived the new facilities as a series of spatial layers, transitioning from open and public areas to more private and closed spaces.
A "front porch" equipped with metal sunshades welcomes employees and guests, leading to a spacious dining and event area—designed as the communal heart of the building. As one moves away from the windows, more introverted spaces include second-floor breakout areas, food service islands, training classrooms, and a sophisticated mechanical layer hidden behind a copper scrim.
The cohesive design language focused on careful material choices. Lightness and transparency were balanced against solidity, monochrome interiors were punctuated with colorful statements, all marshaled to complement the existing corporate architecture, achieving a balance of functionality and aesthetic elegance.
Floor plan - level one
Floor plan - level 2
Campus site plan
Mechanical Engineer
Baker Group
Electrical Engineer
Baker Electric
Structural Engineer
KPFF (formerly Saul Engineering)
Civil Engineer
Cooper Crawford Associates
Landscape Architect
Confluence
Exterior Envelope Consultant
W.J. Higgins & Associates, Inc.
Kitchen Consultant
Robert Rippe & Associates
Sustainability Consultant
C-Wise Design and Consulting LLC
Acoustical Ceilings/Wall Panels
Allied Construction Services, Inc.
Glass and Glazing
Architectural Wall Systems
Roofing
Bailey Roofing Contractors, Inc.
Fire Sprinklers
Blackhawk Automatic Sprinklers
Structural Steel
Construction Products Distributors, LLC
Sitework/Site Utilities
Corell Contractor, Inc.
Precast Concrete Supplier
Coreslab Structures
Landscape Contractor
Country Landscapes
Concrete Material Supplier
CTI Ready Mix
Steel Erector
Northwest Steel Erection Co
Elevator Contractor
O’Keefe Elevator Co., Inc.
Masonry
Seedorff Masonry, Inc.
Door and Hardware Supplier
Walsh Door and Hardware
Kitchen Equipment Supplier
Servco
General Contractor
The Weitz Company
2017 American Architecture Award
The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies
2015 Merit Award - Excellence in Design
American Institute of Architects - Central States Region
2015 Merit Award - Excellence in Design
American Institute of Architects - Iowa Chapter
2018 Global Design + Urbanism XVII (book)
Summer 2017 Iowa Architect
Winter 2016 Iowa Architect
Photography by Paul Crosby Architectural Photography
