Architects learn to repurpose and adapt to trends

Projects are delayed initially and, even as the economy recovers, companies are reluctant to move ahead until their confidence returns, said Kevin Monson, president of Neumann Monson Architects in Iowa City.

Unemployment has affected both the need for residential construction and tax revenues that fuel public sector projects nationwide, according to Architectural Record, an industry publication.

But architects in Iowa have fared better than those in other states because of its more stable economy and because the state hasn't had the same issues with devaluation seen elsewhere, Monson said.

Public clients, such as school districts, municipalities and educational institutions, have been keeping his firm's architects busier than private sector clients since 2008. Some of those projects are because of buildings destroyed during the floods of 2008.

“The flood had a huge impact on business in the Corridor,” Monson said, adding that the initial push in 2008 was flood recovery and temporary fixes.

“Now we're seeing the more permanent replacement projects going ahead. That has really added to the work of architects in the Corridor.”

For a while after the flood, recovery also was the vast majority of Shive-Hattery's work in the Corridor and helped to offset the broader effects of the recession, said Liam Larkin, intern architect at Shive-Hattery in Cedar Rapids.

Taylor Elementary School, for example, saw four feet of water flood most of the Cedar Rapids school's 48,000 square feet in June 2008. Shive-Hattery worked to have the school reopened for the 2009-2010 school year.

In addition to flood-related projects, Jim Novak, principal at Novak Design Group in Cedar Rapids, said his firm also has seen an increase in work on church renovations and building.

Adapt and Reuse

Other building trends during the recession have included adapting and reusing excess retail space, Shive-Hattery's Larkin added. Changes typically involve facade upgrades and applying different strategies to make the retail space more attractive to new tenants.

Often retail space has easier access - adjacent parking and located on major streets - and is more reasonably priced than building from scratch, he said.

A good example of retail reuse was the new Mount Pleasant Police Station - what was originally a grocery store was converted into a 17,000-square-foot police department. Outside, the facade was redesigned and some of what was once an immense parking lot was converted to green space.

“It was a great location with the right size,” said Shawn Lueth, a civil engineer and project manager at Shive-Hattery.

It might be more of a challenge to rearrange existing space to match a client's needs than starting from scratch. But often it can be done more quickly, Lueth said.

Another trend has been repurposing. Larkin noted there has been more of a general focus industrywide on sustainability rather than obtaining LEED certification.

LEED is a formal environmentally friendly building certification system that verifies commercial and residential buildings were built and designed to save energy and water and improve indoor air quality, among other environmental factors.

Sustainability is a factor in design of building additions and new buildings, but in general, clients aren't asking that existing space be redone to be more green. And that choice is always the client's, said Jenny Phang, Shive-Hattery corporate communications coordinator.

It's the law

Sometimes changes in laws or ordinances involving use of commercial space can require redesign. Monson expects the 21-only ordinance in Iowa City to lead to the repurposing of some downtown Iowa City bars to different uses, for example.

And there are signs of renewed interest in private sector building. His firm is working on more mixed-used commercial projects, Monson said.

One of the best examples in the Corridor is the Iowa River Landing project in Coralville, which includes entertainment, retail, residential and office space. These types of projects are intended to create a community rather than just a retail center, Lueth said.

“It's a fantastic time to be building if you have the confidence and optimism in the future,” Monson said.