Iowa Architectural Foundation Walking Tours reveal the story of Des Moines.
Perspective. It can change how you look at the world, how you think about another person, what you see in a work of art.
It can also transform how you see your hometown.
For more than a decade, the Iowa Architectural Foundation (IAF) has been helping residents and visitors alike see Des Moines with new eyes through the group’s Architecture on the Move tours.
“The program actually evolved from an outreach program we did with third and fourth grade students,” says Laura Porter, director of the IAF. “We had done walking tours around downtown as part of our school outreach efforts, and that became the building block for this program.”
As a nonprofit organization, the IAF seeks to bring architects, designers, educators, students, and architecture enthusiasts together to improve the quality of life in Iowa. One way IAF accomplishes this is through programs like Architecture on the Move.
The tours are led by architects and historians, each with his or her own perspective on the locations, so every tour is unique.
Mark Hadaway, an IAF guide for the past three years, says he got involved because of another IAF member. “My background is in architecture and construction. But I’m not from Des Moines, so when I was asked to serve as a guide, I learned so much more about the city,” he says.
Architecture on the Move features four main routes from which to choose—north, south, east, and west from downtown. Each highlights a unique perspective on the capitol city.
“The north route highlights architecture that’s more of a modernist and corporate style. South includes the Court Avenue District and the Science Center. East is the East Village, the old and the new buildings in that area. And west includes landmarks like Hotel Fort Des Moines and the Temple for the Performing Arts,” says Porter.
Each tour lasts about 90 minutes. Because the commentary is unscripted, every guide brings his or her own perspective to the tour. “Every tour has a guide and a wrangler,” Hadaway says. “My training started as a wrangler, just listening to the guide and getting familiar with the stories he told. I picked up on some of those, but I’ve added my own, too.”
Hadaway says he tested his tour guide skills on his wife first, walking the tour route with her and guiding her around the city.
After leading several tours each year, Hadaway says the west tour has become a favorite.
“I love the buildings on that tour and the stories behind them. The U.S. Bank building is a good example of the Art Deco style, and there isn’t a lot of it in Des Moines. Most people don’t realize that Des Moines has such incredible architectural history. We have two buildings designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects, which is like the Pulitzer Prize for architecture.”
Porter says, “The tours are such a great introduction to Des Moines. Even if you’re from central Iowa, the city can seem inaccessible if you’re not downtown often or if you only drive through it. Walking the city gives you a different perspective.”
“It’s a great way to explore parts of the city you don’t normally visit,” Hadaway says. “Each tour group is about 10 to 20 people. So you get to meet people who share similar interests, and you learn the history of Des Moines that most people don’t know.”
The IAF added new routes and themes last summer, including a route featuring Piety Hill, the lost religious architecture that once dotted what is now the Principal Financial campus, and an art-themed route in partnership with the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation.
“We partnered with the Public Art Foundation last summer, and we’re bringing that tour back again this July,” says Porter. “We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by Confluence Brewing Company this year. They’re donating a portion of the proceeds from their soon-to-launch Old Tavern Beer to support Architecture on the Move.”
In addition to corporate partnerships, the guides themselves partner with the IAF to keep the tours fresh. “We give the routes a refresh each year,” Porter says. “The guides also do a wonderful job preparing themselves and keeping informed about changes on the routes. There’s construction and renovation going on all the time in Des Moines, so the guides have to be prepared to answer questions about those changes.”
Hadaway says it’s that constantly evolving view that makes the tours so fascinating. “There’s so much variation on the different tours: the buildings, the designs, even the guides. Going on the same tour with a different guide is a different experience.”
Every building has a story, and the Architecture on the Move guides know them all. Getting to know those stories can help you get reacquainted with buildings you’ve driven by. And that can give you a whole new perspective on Des Moines.
Take a Look!
To learn more about the tours or to reserve your spot on one of the upcoming events, visit here.
Tours are scheduled for:
- June 13
- July 11
- August 8
- September 12
- October 3