Learn
The ISU Design West studio is a destination for people to learn, explore and interact on the topics of urban design, historic preservation and community development in Sioux City and the surrounding area. Initial course offerings will involve upper-level College of Design students and faculty in projects that address real design issues and engage community members.

In the first such project, implemented in summer 2007, a class of architecture graduate students developed prototype bus-stop shelters of laser-cut steel for downtown Sioux City. A fall 2007 landscape architecture class studied the effects of the pending I-29 relocation and ways to re-establish connections from the Missouri River waterfront to downtown. Three interdisciplinary design studio classes will work on projects with the Sioux City community in spring 2008.

As the studio gears up, a regular schedule of full-semester courses will be available. Some classes based at the Iowa State campus in Ames may also conduct shorter visits to work on projects in the community. In the future, some core design classes may also be offered at ISU Design West for students from other colleges and universities, with the potential for transfer credit to Iowa State programs.

An urban extension program will focus on urban design, historic preservation, regional planning and applied research. Public seminars and workshops on a wide range of topics--retail merchandising, public art, design ordinances, zoning alternatives and urban development--will also be scheduled at the ISU Design West studio.

Innovate
ISU Design West provides an opportunity for students to investigate and experiment with ideas and designs in a vibrant urban environment that incorporates historical, contemporary and natural dimensions of life in Iowa. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Fourth Street Historic District contains the best concentration of late 19th-century commercial buildings in Sioux City, many notable for their distinctive Richardsonian Romanesque style of architecture popular at the time.

Sioux City is also a contemporary urban venue for the arts and commerce. The Sioux City Art Center and other cultural attractions place the city in a pivotal position to influence and stimulate cultural innovation in a variety of areas.

The rich natural heritage of the Sioux City area, first explored by Lewis and Clark in their westward trek, provides the historical and environmental roots to ground regional development in a meaningful way. The proximity of the Loess Hills, the Missouri River, and their dynamic natural ecosystems provide sources of inspiration as well as recreation.

The studio facility itself has numerous innovative design features, among them an exhibit hall in a tunnel beneath the adjacent alley, with four acrylic glass manhole covers above for viewing. Work by students, faculty and professional practitioners will be displayed with special emphasis on the urban experience in Sioux City.

The two-story (one is underground), 7,000-square-foot building features a 32-foot-tall atrium, cantilevered concrete stairs, and an interior space that integrates the original red quartzite exterior walls with contemporary wood floors and new white walls. The studio is illuminated by giant windows that flood the interior with daylight. Students will not only study in the building, they'll also study how the building itself was put together, its former and current functions, and its urban context.

 

The studio facility also features an exhibit hall in a former steam tunnel beneath the adjacent alley, with four acrylic glass manhole covers above for viewing by passersby. Work by students, faculty and professional practitioners will be displayed with special emphasis on the urban experience in Sioux City. Grow
ISU Design West provides opportunities for Iowa State College of Design students to grow as designers, and it helps the Sioux City community grow through dynamic interaction with the design professionals of tomorrow.

The historical, cultural and natural heritage of Sioux City and its environs provides a unique combination of circumstances that informs the dialogue among community leaders and students as they consider the path to the future. Rivaling urban centers such as Kansas City and St. Louis, early in its history Sioux City grew to regional prominence by virtue of its unique heritage. Future growth will equally depend on this heritage but understood and interpreted to serve the growing needs of its citizens.

The design students of Iowa State are uniquely placed to help understand and interpret the vision for the future. They train with top experts in their respective fields and are actively involved in outreach activities in communities like Sioux City. Through such dynamic exchanges, both the students and community benefit through realizing concrete design projects that address real needs.

Find Out More
To learn how you can become involved in the ISU Design West studio, contact:

Susan Fey
Program Coordinator
ISU Design West Studio