AIA Iowa Announces 2024 Design Awards Recipients
RDG Planning & Design has been honored with multiple awards celebrating architecture in Iowa and beyond.
The Iowa Chapter of the American Institute of Architects has recognized RDG with two 2024 Excellence in Design awards. Conferred annually, the AIA Iowa awards recognize recipients in the categories of Excellence in Design and Excellence in Craft, celebrate contributions by AIA Iowa members and emphasize the importance of architecture across Iowa and the nation. The 2024 awards were presented during a ceremony on Monday, September 23, 2024, at Curate in Des Moines.
RDG’s recognition includes two Excellence in Design awards for the Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences Campus (Merit), a new 88-acre health sciences campus in West Des Moines, Iowa, and the Forest County Potawatomi Community Center (Merit), a space centered on wellness, rest and community in Crandon, Wisconsin. The Excellence in Design Award recognizes the best architecture projects designed by AIA Iowa members, emphasizing these projects and their importance in the community. Three levels of awards were given: Honor, Merit and Honorable Mention.
"This recognition underscores our team's commitment to delivering innovative, sustainable projects that bring people together," said RDG Architect and Partner, Steve King, AIA. "We appreciate Des Moines University's bold vision for their new campus and the opportunity we were provided to share in its creation."
Des Moines University’s Medicine and Health Sciences Campus establishes a premier destination for students, faculty, staff and friends of the university. Set across 88 acres, RDG’s design for the campus takes direction from the site's natural beauty and diverse physical characteristics, building on the concept of "the edge of advancement" to imagine an innovative, iconic campus that reflects the school's values, respects the land, connects to the community and offers an inclusive, intuitive environment.
The Forest County Potawatomi Community Center serves as the epicenter of physical and wellness activity for the entire Potawatomi community in Crandon. RDG’s team worked closely with tribal leaders to develop a culturally significant and programmatically appropriate design, weaving natural imagery into the building’s interior and exterior elements. The exterior design draws inspiration from the form of an eagle, an animal that carries special importance within the Potawatomi community. At the same time, the interior replicates the surrounding woodland with structural forms and materiality.
For each award, a jury of respected professionals from the architecture and design communities meets to recognize the state’s best design work. The AIA Iowa Design Award Programs are open to all AIA Iowa members.