About the facility

"The prominent placement of the gallery and the fact that it was the main space that welcomed you as you entered, for me it definitely set the stage for feeling like I was walking into a space that not only respected but celebrated the production of art." —Sonya Naumann (MFA 2009), conceptual artist/photographer/instructor, Los Angeles

When the School of Art, Art History, and Design outgrew the original University of Iowa Art Building—which at the time of its construction was hailed as breakthrough in art education facilities—the UI sought a world-class architect to create a facility that embodied the artistic and educational innovation of the university. Steven Holl, based in New York City, was selected, and he did not disappoint.

When Art Building West opened in 2006 (it closed due to flooding in 2008, and reopened in 2012), it attracted the attention of the international architecture and art education worlds, winning these prestigious national and international awards:

• 2006 2007 AIA Iowa Honor Award of Excellence
• 2007 AIA New York Architecture Merit Award
• 2007 AIA Iowa Honor Award for Excellence in Craft
• 2007 RIBA International Award
• 2007 AIA Institute Honor Award
• 2008 American Architecture Award
• 2010 SCUP Merit Award for Excellence in Architecture in a New Building
• 2011 Exceptional Project Award by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's Center for Effective Learning Environments, Paris — watch the video

Art Building West video