Art School in Iowa by Steven Holl

During the floods in 2008, the building of the Iowa School of Art and Art History was damaged to the extent that it had to be demolished. The new building was designed by New York architect Steven Holl, who had already completed the adjacent art school building, where art history is taught, in 2006. Both buildings appear completely different: the first, colored in red, opens up to the surroundings, while the newly constructed compact school with its cool-toned translucent facade is arranged around a covered internal atrium, which does not mean that the school is closed off; rather, it is a vibrant place for artistic creation, where everyone meets in the large atrium, on the terraces, ramps, stairs, and niches. The orientation of all rooms towards the central atrium is intended to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration. The classrooms and studios, on the other hand, are furnished very modestly, so as not to distract students from their creative work. The building, with a total area of 12,000 m², also includes lecture rooms, exhibition galleries, and offices, which are illuminated not only from the exterior facade but also through recessed cavities and via the internal atrium.

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