Vesterheim Commons recognized with AIA New York 2025 Honor Award

Vesterheim Commons, a new welcoming addition to the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School in Decorah, IA, is recognized with a 2025 Honor Award in the AIA New York (AIA NY) Design Awards. The AIA NY Design Awards program recognizes architecture, interiors, and urban design projects for exceptional design quality, responsiveness to its context and community, effective program resolution, innovation, thoughtfulness, and technical excellence. Vesterheim Commons is a collaboration between BNIM and Snøhetta.

Vesterheim Commons acts as an impactful new entrance to the Vesterheim campus of historic buildings and activities. Rather than being setback from adjacent structures, the entry is distinguished and established as a prominent presence. The design of Vesterheim’s lobby sequence aims to serve as a warm and inviting community destination that tells a powerful story of voyage and arrival. Spaces accommodate programming for banquet and lecture needs and public folk art programming for families and students. As visitors move through the museum, they are guided through a journey to the past, learning about the objects and history of Norwegian-American traditions through exhibitions and a visible archive.