UI Stanley Museum of Art

THE PROJECT

Project Highlights

A cultural arts destination for the university and community
Careful consideration to flood plain proximity
Drilled pier foundation and composite steel framing

The University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art creates a new permanent home for the University’s full art collection 14 years after a flood forced the original art museum to close in 2008. The three-story, 100,000-square-foot museum houses more than 4,000 works and serves as a cultural arts destination welcoming students, faculty, and visitors from around the world. The museum contains art galleries, classrooms, collections storage, parking, loading and preparation areas, and a special exhibition space to display the museum’s most famous work of art, a 20-foot by 8-foot mural painted by the American artist Jackson Pollack. A transparent, daylight-filled entry plaza invites visitors to explore and connect with the community through the arts.

OUR IMPACT

ELEVATED

flood-sensitive structure areas

EXTENSIVE COORDINATION

of multiple program requirements

UNITES

community and culture

Service Provided

Structural engineering

OUR SOLUTIONS

Credit BNIM Architects

MBJ gave careful consideration to address the building’s proximity to the flood plain elevating the main interior structure while selecting durable materials in areas below the flood plain. Considerable coordination among project team members was required to manage the range of requirements from gallery program, collections storage, vibration, and long-term flexibility.

The transparent airy entrance is juxtaposed against a dark brick masonry façade above. MBJ designed a two-story truss system to cantilever the entrance corner of the building in order to enhance the open design while achieving tight movement tolerances required by the uniquely patterned brick.

The theme of transparency continues throughout the building interior with unique central lightwells and a custom designed, three-story feature stair. To achieve a feeling of openness, MBJ analyzed the perforated decorative center guardrail in order to provide structural support of the stair while also eliminating bulky stringers.