Just one block off the main street in the Historic Valley Junction neighborhood of West Des Moines sat a non-descript 2-story building that had undergone 80 years of small-scale adaptations; first serving as a place of worship, followed by various uses including, manufacturing, automotive, office, and retail.

Serving as developer, architect and contractor, the owner completed a major transformation into a flexible, professional design studio space serving as catalyst for neighborhood revitalization.

The building was stripped down to structure, featuring 1940’s block masonry walls and a 1990’s wood-framed upper story which had been added following historic floods. The roof of the former worship/garage space was raised to allow sufficient natural daylight without artificial lighting over 90% of the building’s operation time. Existing old growth fir from demolition was repurposed as exposed accent framing throughout the interior. The studio space also features sealed concrete floors and carbon negative carpeting, as well as recycled fiberboard acoustical panels to enhance the wellness of the users.

The stair, with perforated steel treads salvaged from another renovation project, was relocated outside of the original structure as a vibrant promotion of movement to the upper level of the building which contains private meeting rooms, wellness spaces, and the studio’s material library.

The envelope was super-insulated with polyisocyanurate panels and closed cell spray foam. Building systems were designed with sustainability in mind, including high-efficiency HVAC, low-flow plumbing fixtures, infrastructure for solar panels, and LED lights resulting in a 53% lighting reduction below the energy code minimum. Outdoor balconies, operable windows, and big ass fans provide ample natural ventilation treated with UV light.

Since completion, the building has hosted open houses and tours demonstrating the studio’s unique strategies for repurposing materials, blending modern and historic elements, and serving as a model for sustainability within the neighborhood and beyond.