The list of Des Moines signature buildings continues to grow with the Wellmark headquarters on Grand Avenue.  The bold form of the building creates another distinctive shape on the urban streetscape and is an appropriate response for the first building built from the ground up on the sculpture park.

The mark of the building is the curved, all glass south elevation wrapping around a large semi-circular courtyard.  When it was under construction, I expected the courtyard was for cars to drive up to the front door.  I was ecstatic when I learned the courtyard is a place for people and not cars.  The hope is to have employees enjoying the lawn and throwing the Frisbee during lunch hour.  A short wall at the street says this is a private courtyard but people can still walk in.  I applaud Wellmark for making it open space for people.

The courtyard is revealed as one comes from the parking garage and winds through the up tempo cafeteria…no cafeteria is the wrong word for a place that sells great healthy food and looks like a bistro.  Most employees walk through the living room of the building everyday and grab a coffee on their way to work.

The hit of the interior is the generous and wide corridor which curves along the inside of the south glass wall.  The first floor is lined with bistro tables and stools to grab a bite to eat or have a meeting in a comfortable setting.  I can imagine this is a big attraction to younger workers and wonder if they serve beer after hours.

The cool thing is looking at the outside of the building as you walk along the corridor. The changing light and views are awesome.   I was struck with the feeling of oneness, of working for a company where the focus was on the team.

The project also embraces sustainable design and received a LEED Platinum rating, the highest obtainable.  The building used recyclable products throughout and uses rainwater from the roof to flush toilets.  The finishes are corporate and durable but did use lots of granite and marble.  I felt at home in the building.

What did I not like?  Skywalks between buildings which slope always bother me.  I can understand when the skywalk connects two existing buildings but a new building design should be able to figure out a skywalk with a non sloped bridge.  The strong horizontal lines of the building don’t work with the skywalk.  The leaf pattern on the glass is also a bit cute.

With all the energy of the south elevation, the north elevation seems it was not given the same design intensity.  The delivery dock overpowers the north entrance and streetscape.  Perhaps this could have been handled better between the headquarters and garage.

Finally, the brick color of the garage mimics the color of the stone too closely and cheapens the headquarters.  Would it have been okay to just accept the garage as a concrete parking garage and let it make its own statement?  I think so.

All in all though, the new Wellmark headquarters hits the mark.  Well done and another unique building in the urban core of Des Moines.  The city is really taking shape!!!!!!

Tags: architects Smith Metzger, ASM, des moines architecture, des moines downtown, LEED, Pappajohn, sculpture park, wellmark