renzo piano completes 'transparent' office building in des moines with extra-long overhangs

renzo piano building workshop (RPBW) has completed a major new office building in downtown des moines, a city in the midwestern US state of iowa. situated to the north of the pappajohn sculpture park, the multistory structure forms part of the area’s ongoing redevelopment, with a wide range of programming located in close proximity. the scheme has been designed to foster a dialogue between the building and the city, with the concept of transparency evident throughout.

image © michel denancé (also main image)

the ‘krause gateway center’ includes the new corporate headquarters of convenience store company kum & go, as well as offices for the other companies within the krause group. working in collaboration with OPN architects, RPBW has designed the ground floor to as open and welcoming as possible, while the experience on the office floors above is enhanced by a virtually invisible façade that allows unobstructed 360-degree views. in addition, extra-long overhangs protect the interior spaces from direct solar radiation.

image © michel denancé

at approximately 160,000 square feet (14,864 sqm), the 6-story building includes offices for 800 people, a 2-story underground parking garage, a dedicated art space, large multifunctional meeting rooms, a fitness center, and an exterior terrace. meanwhile, an accessible green roof serves as a quiet and private outdoor space. here, sculptures from the krause collection are placed within native grasses. the building encloses only 25% of the site, leaving the rest publicly accessible.

image © michel denancé

image © michel denancé

image © michel denancé

image © michel denancé

image © michel denancé

image © michel denancé

image © michel denancé

image © michel denancé

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project info:

name: krause gateway center
location: des moines, iowa, USA
date: 2015-2018
client: kum & go
design: renzo piano building workshop in collaboration with OPN architects (des moines)
design team: g.bianchi (partner in charge), k.schorn (associate in charge), j.p.azares with v.chandrasegar, d.karaiskaki, a paya piqueras and m.cecchetto, q.gu, f.tessitore; d.tsagkaropoulos (CGI); o.aubert, c.colson, y.kyrkos (models)
consultants: robert silman associates (structure); baker (mechanical); wolin (electrical); arup (sustainability, lighting); front (façade); confluence (landscaping); stuart-lynn (cost consultant); ryan companies (construction manager)
photography: michel denancé