Community

Architecture shapes and enhances our urban public space. Substance Architecture has long believed that powerful public space also needs high-quality public art. Two of Substance’s principals have served as the President of the Board of Directors for the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation. 

As part of these efforts, Substance has worked to identify and collaborate with a variety of world-class artists in their efforts to bring public art to Des Moines.

Substance Architecture is committed to service to our community. Since 2005, members of our firm have chaired the City of Des Moines’ Urban Design Review Board and held positions on Des Moines’s Plan and Zoning Commission and the Board of Trustees of the Des Moines Public Library. We have had staff members on the Boards of Directors of many local non-profit organizations including the Des Moines Art Center, the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation, the Young Women’s Resource Center, Lead DSM, and the Des Moines Arts Festival. 

We have served the architectural community by serving as chairs of multiple state and regional AIA Conventions, editors of Iowa Architect magazine, and board members for AIA Iowa, the Iowa Architectural Foundation, the AIA National Strategic Council, and Iowa Women in Architecture (iaWia).

Our firm has a commitment to, and history of, teaching. Since 2005 members of our team, both Principals and staff, have taught over 20 design studios within the Iowa State University Department of Architecture. These studios have ranged from the second through the fifth year in the undergraduate program, with the majority occurring during the fall semester of the fourth year. 

Staff have also taught, conducted critiques, and served as mentors at Kansas State University, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Louisiana Tech University School of Design, and other institutions. We believe teaching is a way to give back to the profession, to keep our critical abilities honed, and to continue growing our knowledge.