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American Enterprise Group - National HQ Renovation

An invisible rehabilitation of a mid-century jewel adapting the building to modern needs

Information

Location Des Moines, Iowa
Size 153,000 SF
Completion 2015
Services Working
Project Type Workplace, Redevelop / Adaptive Reuse
Certification LEED Silver

Located in Des Moines, Iowa, the eight-story tall American Republic Insurance Building is occupied by American Enterprise Group (AEG) and was originally designed and constructed in 1965 by the New York office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) under architect Gordon Bunshaft, FAIA. BNIM completed an extensive complex renovation of the concrete structure, creating a safer and healthier workplace for AEG employees while carefully preserving the building’s original character and design integrity. BNIM worked to upgrade building systems and lighting to support human health and productivity, as well as provide a functional workplace that integrated current workplace technology. The renovation allowed AEG to retain its 330 employees and provided the company with space to grow for the next 50 years.

Impact + Innovation

This iconic building received an AIA Honor Award for Architecture in 1967. As the building aged, the owner consciously respected its defining characteristics. However, over the next 50 years, numerous finishes and materials deteriorated, and its systems were extremely problematic. In BNIM’s revitalization of the building, the concepts that distinguished the building were preserved and augmented with energy efficient systems. Replacing these systems required substantial demolition of walls and finishes, including the exquisitely detailed executive suites. Following the major demolition of the building to accommodate these new systems, the walls and finishes were meticulously and elegantly reconstructed. The exposed precast concrete “T” and cast-in-place coffered floor structure are one of the defining characteristics of the building. The ductwork, lighting, and acoustical systems were integrated within the ceiling in a unique manner that forms an elegant ceiling expression throughout the majority of the building, creating a glowing series of coffers of light. Five decades following its first honor, the building received another AIA Honor Award for Architecture, in addition to an American Architecture Award from The Chicago Athenaeum.

Process

Preserving the significant architectural and cultural characteristics of the building was of utmost importance during the renovation. BNIM approached the renovation with the intent that its work would be nearly impossible to detect. The effort has been referred to as an “invisible rehabilitation,” a testament to the consideration given to the buildings’ defining features. The decision to rehabilitate the American Enterprise Headquarters building was based on a number of reasons including: the owners’ interest in preserving the building and pursuing Federal and State Historical tax credits, the significance of SOM and Gordon Bunshaft in the advancement of architecture and Modernist Buildings, and the advancements in office buildings presented in the structure such as 90 feet clearspan office space and integration of air distribution, lighting, and acoustical treatment in the ductwork system.

People

Team

Client

American Enterprise Group

A great example of the rich heritage of modern architecture across the United States, this is a loving rehabilitation of a beautiful example of commercial architecture designed by a renowned architect, that is still serves as the home of the original company.

DOCOMOMO Jury Comments, 2017

What they committed to doing is taking the building apart, replacing all of these systems, and then putting the building back together as if it had just been finished.” “We found the new interiors to be so responsive to the architecture of the overall building, that even if this building had been built new today, it would be a spectacular design.” “In this case, we have a client who was obviously willing to invest extensively in bringing this building back, bringing it into the 21st century. We just have to congratulate the success of the design team and the willingness of the client to make this kind of investment.

AIA Kansas City Jury Comments, 2015

This exquisite renovation brings a classic midcentury office building back to life. Design interventions enhance the luminous transparency of the façade while addressing contemporary life safety issues and outdated building systems. Extensive research and restraint led to clear decisions regarding what to repair and what to replace, inviting the structure into the 21st century.” “This is an example of a rehabilitation that has perhaps resulted in a project that surpasses the qualities of the original.

AIA Kansas Jury Comments, 2016