Prairie Design A Piece At A Time

June 2018

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PRAIRIE DESIGN A PIECE AT A TIME

Written by Aksel Solberg

PRAIRIE DESIGN A PIECE AT A TIME Written by Aksel Solberg

Imagine being an ant, stumbling upon a slice of pizza in an open lawn.

As an ant, you could never move the entire slice

and history of the American mid-west (of which

by yourself, nor would it fit through the colony’s

the prairie style of architecture is a significant part).

entrance. To move such a massive object, you

A visual scale that complimented the pedestrian

would have to start with a crumb. Before long,

shopper’s experience while still providing retailers

most of the colony would be assisting you, forming

with desirable focal points to establish their presence

a continuous stream of crumbs being carried from

and identity was necessary. Ultimately, the project

one location to another. Eventually, the only trace

also had to stay within budget.

of that original pizza slice would be a depression in the grass where it used to be.

Once an overall site plan was set, designing the architecture began the same way our ants did with

Putting together a project as massive as The Outlets

their slice of pizza: in pieces. First, a material palette

of Des Moines is a very similar procedure when

was composed, and subsequently applied to various

compared to our ant friends and their prized slice of

pedestrian-scale details.

pizza. The process is reversed as many small pieces are put together to produce the end result, but the principle remains the same; one must approach something this big piece by piece, and it takes an entire region of people to make it happen.

As Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail” – wise words for a project like The Outlets of Des Moines. Before ever reaching the drawing board, the owner and municipality underwent years of planning and coordination. When HFA was finally commissioned to design the project, its imagined form comprised a few broad objectives: The Outlets of Des Moines needed to be more than a retail center – it needed to be a destination. It required a unique spirit that identified with the rich culture

Bold colors fill the upper façade zones & sign band, adding a playful and active atmosphere to the exterior concourses. The food court pavilion extends into the central concourse.

With each successive element designed, the project’s composition evolved into a sequence of pedestrian experiences.

Details at eye level were given the utmost importance. Care was taken to sub-divide the overall project into distinct zones to give the shopper a sense of place. Tenant focal points and sign bands became backdrops of bold colors, setting the mood for zonal experiences. The genius loci became focused on transforming a fairly standard retail site plan into a memorable experience that keeps the shopper returning time and again.

A typical concourse in the project (pictured left) including signage bands that are made up of simple details with different backdrops of color to provide each pedestrian zone with its own identity.

Neutral piers break up long runs of storefront at the pedestrian scale and add a splash of prairiestyle flare to the shopper experience. Gallery roof structures comprised of painted metal deck & exposed steel are reminiscent of the expressive woodwork found in many prairie-style homes, providing shade and a sense of intimacy to the main retail areas.

With a “kit of parts” established, the architecture began taking shape holistically.

HFA design team developed countless renditions of virtual models to explore, and a constant design dialogue was established with the client and the design team to ensure the project satisfied their criteria. Keeping budget in mind, a fairly simple palette of exterior finishes was selected – EIFS, stone & brick veneer, fabric awnings, and metal canopies. With such lofty design goals, the

Corner towers with expressive details & stone veneer serve as backdrops for the major tenants’ signage, and provide an identity to the primary entrance courts located at the corners of the project.

HFA team needed to embrace the materials in ways that emphasized the architectural language. EIFS details were developed to be reminiscent of the expressive woodwork commonly found in prairie style architecture.

Stone veneer was used at tower bases and corner features to lend a sense of mass, connecting the architecture to the earth.

Brick veneer was employed at corner piers, serving as anchors for the playful color palette of the main facades. With customdesigned signage features located at entry courts and throughout the pedestrian concourses, the final composition became a microcosm of the surrounding Des Moines region.

One of several “courts” throughout the project features façade embellishments to establish zonal identity at building corners. A playful arrangement of awning and façade colors help to create a dynamic atmosphere. In the background, a façade embellishment serves as the backdrop for a “terminal view” looking down one of the main retail concourses. A large chandelier-type light fixture is suspended from the gallery roof for area lighting.

Frank Lloyd Wright, a pioneer of the prairie style of architecture, often spoke of the importance of the hearth.

It serves as a gathering space, and for a number of years, was literally the heart of a house; breathing life & warmth into its surrounding structure. To create the destination desired by the client, The Outlets of Des Moines needed a hearth of its own. HFA design team kept this in mind, as food court area and central pedestrian concourse became the focal point of the project.

A folding storefront system was used to enclose the food court, creating a delicate balance between interior & exterior. In the exterior

A custom-designed entryway feature welcomes visitors into the smaller entrance courts around the project. The design uses prairie-style design motifs found throughout the surrounding region. Brick veneer corner piers at the ends of each building serve as visually heavy anchors for the delicate signage archway.

common space, various types of seating and plantings surround a pavilion roof structure which projects the food court’s presence. The final piece in the composition is a stone fireplace, providing warmth and atmosphere to the heart of the project.

In the 1989 film, “Field of Dreams”, an Iowa corn farmer hears whispers from his crop saying “If you build it, they will come”. An empty field in an Iowan suburb of Des Moines might not seem like an ideal location for a thriving retail center, but the project’s owners clearly had a similar vision to Field of Dream’s protagonist. Building The Outlets of Des Moines took thousands of people, hundreds of thousands of labor hours in design & construction, and the industrial capacity of an entire geographical region. After all the literal dust had settled and the first shoppers arrived at grand opening, it was ultimately the careful execution of design & construction details that made the project successful. Just like our ant friends and their slice of pizza – even the biggest of dreams can be made real with a little help from your friends.

The central hearth of the project is an active seating & multifunction space, filled with various plantings, furniture, light fixtures, and a stone fireplace. Pictured above are a pre-construction design rendering, and a photograph of the built project

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aksel Solberg, Project Manager Aksel has over 10 years of experience in the architecture profession. His diligent attention to detail and strong design skills have been a key factor in HFA’s ability to create successful projects, which keep clients returning time after time. Aksel resides in HFA’s Boston office.”

aksel.solberg@hfa-ae.com • 508.528.0770 ext 413

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