Rearview Mirror 1.0

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Rearview Mirror 1.0 is the first installment of a new series at Suite101.com Architecture! Every few weeks, the series will explore aspects of our built environment created by both architecture and "non-architecture" alike. We are always looking for new places to visit on our virtual roadtrip, so please feel free to send us your comments and ideas for future installments.

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Imagine if you will, a roadtrip through the heartland of America. The structures located in rural places often provide an interesting contrast between the built environment and landscape. Indeed, a trip through a state such as Iowa is much more than rolling hills and fields of corn. Along the way, we find not only the vernacular buildings one would expect, but also an intriguing influence of high design as well.

One such building can be found at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Designed by Frank O. Gehry, the building is home to the Advanced Technology Laboratories. A prelude to his later works such as the University of Minnesota's Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, the building is located on a prominent site along the Iowa River. Completed in 1992, it is composed of three distinct pieces each rendered in separate forms and finish materials. The building's primary function is to house offices, laboratories, and related spaces for the Advanced Technology Laboratories. The side of the building adjacent to the river is clad in a multifaceted stainless steel skin, which has become the architect's trademark. The center portion is a simple anchor piece, finished with a limestone veneer quarried in Iowa. A third section at the rear, contains mechanical and support spaces within its sleek copper-clad shape. The building is a remarkable apparition that appears along our journey, a stark contrast to the small towns and farms of Iowa, yet somehow recalling the familiar forms of the agricultural buildings that dot the landscape.

Continuing west, the road offers some other tangents as well. Signs mark familiar names, identifying places and products used regularly in the construction industry. Amana, home of the the historic Amana Colonies as well as the company that produces the famous RadarRange, is an interesting diversion along the road westward. And one of the world's largest manufacturers of windows, Pella, is located in the town which also shares its name.

The final leg of the journey visits the Des Moines Art Center. The museum houses an extensive collection of 19th and 20th century art and is itself a work of art that has evolved with time. The efforts of three master architects, the museum clearly illustrates each architect's approach to the design process. The original building, designed by Eliel Saarinen in 1948 is a subdued stone exterior that contrasts sharply with the brutalist addition by I.M. Pei constructed in 1968. The final piece, a 1984 work by Richard Meier, completes the current museum configuration. Meier's signature enameled metal skin and massing also contrasts the earlier works of Saarinen and Pei, providing a legible timeline to the museum's past.

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