A 'hidden' Mies van der Rohe masterpiece receives funding for renovation

2016-05-03T18:14:00-04:00

A boxy steel and glass building standing just three stories tall, the Catholic Pastoral Center at 601 Grand Ave. doesn’t command a lot of attention. But among local architects and history buffs, it has a cult following. “This is a building that appears in architecture textbooks,” said Jennifer James, an architectural historian... Now, the building is poised for a $10 million renovation that Catholic Diocese of Des Moines officials say will extend its life another 50 years.

The building in question, now known as the Catholic Pastoral Center, was designed by none other than Mies van der Rohe. One of the first steel and glass modernist buildings in Des Moines, it was originally known as the Home Federal Savings and Loan building and opened in 1962.

The building exemplifies Miesian geometry: its marble tiles, railings, and exterior form are all square. The renovation will replace antiquated plumbing, lighting, heating and other mechanics, as well as replace a hole left over from a skywalk entrance that was recently removed.

Archinect - News

A 'hidden' Mies van der Rohe masterpiece receives funding for renovation