Iowa Prison Industries Outlet Building, Des Moines, Iowa
COMPLETED: June 2010
profi ts. The site is two blocks from the state capitol and part of a neighborhood that is being revitalized. There is quite a bit of new construction in the area, and the surrounding buildings pop with color and engage the street with storefronts and sidewalk cafes. The street front is on the north side, and Schip- per designed that elevation to have all the windows. Offi ces along the front are brightly lit, and light shelves above them bounce light into the showroom area. The result is a brightly lit street elevation that refl ects the dynamism of the neighborhood. The site was also a restriction. “By the time we fi t the building on the site with proper parking
and storm water control, we maxed out the site and put as much building as the site would hold,” says Schipper. Instead of a simple box, the building slopes to the back of the site, offering a simple and effi cient form. When spilled with light, the eleva- tions with the fl uted metal panels take on a more intricate aesthetic. While the prison system may have been happy with a simple, dark warehouse, it received a bright, light-fi lled showroom that gives the building a strong presence and in a vibrant and revitalizing neighbor- hood. It was all possible because of the selection of the metal building system.
TOTAL SQUARE FEET: 8,550 square feet
OWNER: Iowa Prison Industries; Iowa Department of Corrections