Vesterheim Commons
Decorah, IA
- Award Year
- 2024
- Award Category
- Wood in Architecture
- Design Architect
- Snøhetta
- Architect of Record
- BNIM
- Structural Engineer
- Fast + Epp; MBJ Engineers
- Contractor
- McGough Construction
- Owner
- Vesterheim
- Photos
- Michael Grimm
Mass timber creates a focal point for cultural campus
Vesterheim, which means ‘western home’ in Norwegian, celebrates American immigration through the lens of the Norwegian-American experience at its National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School. The multi-building campus, set in a small, picturesque northeastern Iowa town, needed a focal point, so architects created a beautifully designed building to serve as a signature entrance and event space.
Architects thoughtfully combined glue-laminated timber (glulam) beams and columns with glue-laminated timber (GLT) panels and other natural materials, showcasing the warmth of wood throughout. They selected wood for its honest and direct expression; it also aligned with the museum’s sustainability goals.
Both Vesterheim and the design team favored local sourcing for its smaller carbon footprint and its support of Midwest businesses. The mass timber members were fabricated in southern Minnesota and bricks for the exterior walls of the new building came from Iowa; neither supplier was more than 250 miles away.
Several features distinguish the striking building. A swooping cantilevered canopy, designed to invoke traditional Norwegian boats, welcomes visitors. The canopy was constructed by combining curved glulam beams with embedded steel. A durable yet beautiful Western red cedar soffit adds warmth. Inside, the lobby is bathed in natural light thanks to a dramatic oculus which connects the first floor to the second. Clad in blackened cedar, the distinctive feature also contributes to acoustic performance.
The design of Vesterheim Commons reflects a Norwegian tradition of using honest and humble materials like wood and brick to create a uniquely warm and beautiful space.
7,600 sf / Type III-B construction
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