University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art

Originally named the University of Iowa Museum of Art, the space was created around the concepts of learning, community, and appreciating fine art since it was established in 1969. Its impressive collection is home to over 800 African art objects and works by notable European and American artists including Pablo Picasso, Grant Wood, and Jackson Pollock, whose 1943 masterpiece “Mural” has been the esteemed treasure of the collection since it was donated to the university by art collector Peggy Guggenheim in 1951.

In June 2008, a devastating flood swept through Iowa, severely damaging multiple buildings on the University of Iowa campus including the art museum. Quick action by determined museum staff and volunteers resulted in the preservation of every piece in the collection. However, the building was deemed uninsurable by its art insurer, Lloyd’s of London. Without a permanent building, the collection was divided up among several locations, and the museum staff found new opportunities to share art with the community until a new home could be built.

After years of extensive planning, Russell was selected by the University of Iowa to construct the new 86,200 s.f. three-story, newly renamed, Stanley Museum of Art, in collaboration with BNIM Architects.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• The museum houses Jackson Pollock’s Mural, an 8’ x 20’ painting valued at $150 MM
• The building’s loading dock and freight elevator (with a 21’x10’ interior cab) was specially designed for this painting to be moved in and out of the building.  The elevator itself weighs 19,807 lbs and can carry up to 10,000 lbs and is currently the largest elevator in the state of Iowa!
• The building was designed to accommodate flooding of the nearby Iowa River – the first floor is 7’ above grade with parking garage below
• The exterior curtain wall façade includes an alternating, and complex, pattern of brick texture and finish that transforms with the change of seasons and the amount of sunlight.
• 400 s.f. lightwell in the middle of the building that extends three-stories, bringing indirect natural light into the building
• Two third floor outdoor terraces, providing views of the surrounding areas
• The construction team 3D modeled building systems to facilitate installation and allow maintenance access

AWARD WINNING

• In January 2023, the University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art won a Master Builders of Iowa – Masters Award in the $25 MM+ category. A video featuring the project is included here.
• In August of 2023, University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art won an ENR Regional Best Projects award of merit.
• In November 2023, the University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art won the 2023 Construction Keystone Award in the Mid-America Class ($20-50 million category) presented by the Associated General Contractors of Missouri (AGCMO).