Bold Future Takes Shape
Since last spring, we have been watching in excitement and anticipation as foundations and walls appear and the vision of Vesterheim Commons becomes a reality on Water Street in Decorah. With 7,600 square feet spread across three levels and almost an acre of surrounding landscaped patio, this building project physically links the past and the future, connects the museum collection to the Folk Art School, and enriches the Vesterheim visitor experience for those coming to Decorah or participating digitally through a new video and photography production studio.
Scheduled to be completed in spring 2023, the project plays an important role in collaboration with local community members and business partners in offering educational and gathering spaces for groups and in making Northeast Iowa a destination, including for visitors from Viking Mississippi River voyages.
All good projects start with proper planning, and Vesterheim Commons could not have progressed without the knowledge, creativity, and expertise of the architects, landscape architects, engineers, and consultants who gave a solid start and met every challenge along the way, exceeding expectations! As it nears completion, we are grateful for the partnerships that made these dreams take shape.
Relationships grow over time, and, through this project, many relationships have flourished. Vesterheim is grateful that the design team – Snøhetta, BNIM, MBJ, Morrissey, and McGough – have found Vesterheim’s work compelling and chose to sponsor this issue of the magazine. We thank them for their support.
Read further to learn about these design partners who helped create Vesterheim Commons and the specific ways they connected to the project.
Snøhetta—Master Plan Consultants, Design Architect, and Landscape Architect
In 2018, Vesterheim and Snøhetta began collaborating to develop a master plan and design vision for the museum’s facilities in Decorah that look toward 2025 – the Bicentennial of Norwegian immigration to the United States. Like Vesterheim, Snøhetta values cultural diversity and social sustainability. These shared interests have helped to deepen Vesterheim’s already impactful contributions to the Decorah community, the region, and beyond. Their vision will help to expand conversations surrounding immigration for the future while respecting NorwegianAmerican heritage and uniting this storied legacy with new communities and audiences.
Designed to create a bold and coherent vision for the future of the museum campus, this master planning project took shape over several months of workshops, visits, and research where Snøhetta and Vesterheim staff collaborated to explore ideas and concepts. Through the process, Snøhetta created planning strategies for the reconfiguration of the museum’s downtown campus and considered potential new building additions and modifications of existing structures.
Implementation of the plan began with the transformation of Vesterheim Heritage Park, a project the community has been enjoying for the last year. The vision grows with the new Vesterheim Commons, which is the first building in Iowa designed by Snøhetta and a space that extends the social connectivity of Heritage Park to the indoors. By creating a new entry and gathering space for the Vesterheim campus that facilitates the educational ethos of the institution through deeper in-person and virtual engagement, the hope is to highlight the importance
As a native Iowan, I understand firsthand the profound impact access to cultural institutions in rural America has on our lives; a power to educate, inspire, and connect us to others. Over the past few years, Snøhetta has enjoyed a true collaboration with the Vesterheim community. Together we have imagined and crafted a place that embodies the humanistic values and long-term goals of this passionate institution that both cherishes the deep connection to the Norwegian heritage while looking to expand the conversation to future generations.
of place, history, and immigration to society and to create opportunities for visitors to explore and learn about cultures other than their own.
—Michelle Jeffrey Delk, Partner and Discipline Director – Landscape, Snøhetta more accessible and visible programming for the museum and serve as a community destination that helps share an impactful story of voyage and arrival.
Since its founding in 1989, Snøhetta has designed some of the world’s most notable public and cultural projects, including the new library of Alexandria, Egypt, the commission for the Norwegian National Opera in Oslo, the National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion at the World Trade Center in New York City, the redesign of the public spaces in Times Square, and the expansion of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, among many others. With main offices in Oslo, Norway, and New York City, Snøhetta is a global practice that pursues a trans-disciplinary approach by integrating architectural, landscape, interior, product, and graphic design across its projects.
Among its many recognitions, Snøhetta received the Aga Kahn Prize for Architecture for the Alexandria Library in 2004, the World Architecture Award for the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in 2011, and the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award in 2020.
BNIM—Architect of Record
BNIM, with offices in Des Moines, Iowa; Kansas City, Missouri; and San Diego, California, is the local architect of record and they completed the construction documents for Vesterheim Commons. BNIM is an innovative leader in developing mixed-use development master plans. Through an integrated process of collaborative discovery, BNIM creates transformative, living designs that lead to vital and healthy organizations and communities. In practice, BNIM’s multifaceted approach to design excellence has yielded national acclaim and more than 500 awards for design excellence, including the AIA National Architecture Firm Award. Some of their projects include the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts REACH Expansion, Washington, D.C.; the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City, MO; Princeton University Lewis Center for the Arts, NJ; and the University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art and Visual Arts Building, Iowa City, IA.
BNIM has formed a close partnership with Snøhetta to design and steward this innovative and inviting new addition to the Vesterheim campus. The welcoming, warm public entrance and lobby sequence will accommodate
Meyer | Borgman | Johnson(MBJ)—Structural Engineer
As a multi-specialty structural design practice, MBJ came into the project to help Vesterheim design a visually appealing, cleanly structured, and easily navigated museum building. MBJ has substantial experience with historic structures, and experience restoring, reinforcing, and reusing existing and historic structures. They have worked on very small projects, such as the recent restoration of the Hollywood Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and very large projects that include the historic preservation of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Gammage Hall in Arizona, adaptive reuse of the Philadelphia Naval Yards for Urban Outfitters, and the revitalization of Northrop Auditorium, in Minneapolis. They have worked on museums, galleries, interpretive centers, and timber structures, including Goose Creek Safety Rest Area, Harris, Minnesota; Tashjian Bee and Pollinator Center, Chaska, Minnesota; Minnesota Museum of American Art, St. Paul, Minnesota; and University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art, Iowa City, Iowa.
MBJ stressed early integration of structural design with overall planning that was compatible with sustainability, pollution prevention, recycling, and waste reduction, and they helped Vesterheim plan the building structure using mass timber frame construction. Vesterheim Commons will be only the second building in Iowa to use mass timber components, and the only modern mass timber museum in the Midwest. The construction pays homage to Norway’s use of renewable timber and its commitment to environmental sustainability. This building component not only fits with Vesterheim’s narrative and the extensive use of wood in its historic buildings and in the Folk Art School, but it also allows for the ability to use sustainably harvested wood as the primary building framework. The exposed structure of a massed timber framework requires fewer interior finishes and chemicals, and therefore also has an impact on indoor air quality. Massed timber construction offers improved insulation performance compared other structural materials, less energy in the manufacturing
process, less transportation costs when sourced locally, and because of its relative light weight, requires a less substantial foundation than other building methods.
Morrissey—Mechanical/Electrical/Audio Visual Engineer, Lighting Design
Based in Omaha, Nebraska, Morrissey Engineering specializes in delivering high performance solutions that achieve optimal energy efficiency for mechanical, electrical, and technology needs. Morrissey also brought ARUP to the project as Acoustic Engineers and Atelier Ten as Sustainability Consultants.
For the project, a highly efficient Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) HVAC system was chosen to serve the special climate control considerations of a museum while supporting sustainability principles including no onsite combustion of fossil fuels. The system provides cooling and heating to individual zones. The Commons, too, incorporates passive solar design for energy efficiency, reducing energy consumption. The building’s distinctive marquee provides shading to help keep the first-floor spaces cooler in summer months. During winter, when the sun is at a low angle, natural daylight provides passive solar heat to this space.
The lighting system will highlight both the architecture and collection on display and is tuned to conserve these important artifacts for generations to come. A control system for the lighting will automatically dim electric lighting when adequate natural light is available.
State-of-the-art audiovisual systems in the Commons will allow for a variety of programs throughout the building, and the combination of wood and treatments selected in the Commons make the main gathering room conducive for speaking and music. The new studio will allow world class production of content to reach audiences around the globe.
McGough—Construction Manager at Risk and General Contractor
For more than six decades, McGough has been one of the nation’s premier full-service construction firms, committed to their work in Iowa and the communities they serve.
As a construction manager at risk, McGough was responsible for delivering the project within a guaranteed maximum price (GMP). Representatives from McGough served as consultants to Vesterheim during the development and design phases. They were involved in the developing the overall project scope and in estimating project costs based on the project goals. With this approach, the designers could adjust and balance the scope of work to meet the financial budget. McGough was able to develop strategies to help save money while maintaining a firm commitment to safety, quality, and schedule.
During the construction phase, McGough also has been acting as the general contractor. Their “local first” strategy means that they seek out and engage the best local resources available. Their Iowa team brings an unsurpassed level of experience to this collaborative partnership, helping to achieve exceptional results for the Commons Project.
