As part of its 30-year anniversary, the Iowa Architectural Foundation will recognize individuals and organizations that have “embraced architectural excellence to advance their communities.” The program, in its first year, is called Community Enhancement Through Architecture & Design in Iowa. The first recipients are the University of Iowa, the Greater Des Moines Partnership and city of Des Moines, and the Ruan family. The foundation had this to say about each of the recipients:

“The University of Iowa has consistently built world class buildings throughout campus, which have been an inspiration to current students, their parents, alumni, and professional and amateur architecture enthusiasts. Through its distinguished architecture, the University has preserved and enhanced the unique identity of the campus, known for its artistic integrity and intellectual inspiration. The University has engaged world class architects, including Frank Gehry, Charles Gwathmey, Gunnar Birkets, Steven Holl, Cesar Pelli, Siah Armajani, as well as some of our very best Iowa architects. For over 30 years the University of Iowa has built an ensemble of buildings whose stylistic diversity reflects the breadth of Iowa’s contributions to research, education, and creative activities.”

The transformation of downtown Des Moines “is due in large part to the close collaboration between the public and private sector, including the city of Des Moines and the Greater Des Moines Partnership, who have collaborated with Polk County, the state of Iowa and several major corporations. Embracing the vision of Mario Gandelsonas, a Yale School of Architecture professor who was hired to develop a vision for redevelopment, they made the commitment to make Des Moines a world class city. These efforts have led to completed projects like the Western Gateway Park, the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park, Ingersoll Avenue streetscape, the Historic East Village, the Principal Riverwalk and private developments including Nationwide, Principal, the Krause Gateway Center and Wellmark.”

“Going back over 40 years with the design and construction of the Ruan Center to the recently completed GDM Botanical Garden, [the Ruan family] has made a transformative impact on Iowa’s capital city. Their efforts to beautify and enhance the visual quality of Des Moines started with plantings surrounding the Ruan Center, which then spread to surrounding downtown blocks, Ingersoll Avenue, extending to Fleur Drive nearly to the airport. Their commitment to landscape design has created an environment that inspires all who visit and live in this city. Among John and Janis Ruan’s considerable achievements is the restoration of the beautiful and sustainable 1900 Beaux-Arts public library, now known as the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates and its surrounding gardens, an extension of their previous leadership in bringing urban landscaping and living color, texture and form to public spaces.”

The Iowa Architectural Foundation’s 30th anniversary gala is June 15 at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. For more information, contact Claudia Cackler at director@iowaarchfoundation.org.