Substance Architecture

The University of Iowa has officially opened the doors to the Nagle-Duda Gymnastics & Spirit Squads Facility, a state-of-the-art training space designed to support the University’s Women’s Gymnastics team and Iowa Spirit Squads. Designed by Substance Architecture, the new facility marks a major step forward for both programs, providing them with dedicated, high-performance amenities tailored to their specific training needs. Read more about this news and see videos of the facility in action on our website. Raker Rhodes Engineering, LLC Design Engineers MEPFT McClure McComas-Lacina Construction, LC

Substance's Dakota Smith and Joshua Hemberger will be at the Kansas State University 2025 Design Expo tomorrow, February 28 from 10 am - 3 pm. Stop by the Hilton Garden Inn & Convention Center to introduce yourself and learn more about our firm and work. We hope to see you there!

We're headed to the Iowa State University 2025 Iowa State University - College of Design Career Fair tomorrow, February 20 from noon–5 p.m. Stop by Durham Great Hall at the Iowa State Memorial Union to introduce yourself and learn more about our firm and work. We hope to see you there!

Welcome Constanza Resende to the Substance Architecture team! Constanza is a 4th year architecture student at Kansas State University who will be interning with us for the next seven months. She spent the first 12 years of her life in Brazil before moving to Overland Park, Kansas. Last semester she studied abroad in Orvieto, a charming hill town just north of Rome. While she will miss travelling across the country, studying breathtaking buildings and landscapes, and of course, the food, she is “excited to be surrounded by people who all know more than me”. She looks forward to learning from our team, seeing things they don’t teach in school, and becoming a better designer. While she may not realize it, she’s already taught us a thing or two and we can’t wait to see what lies ahead. Welcome, Constanza!

Welcome Gianna Bellizzi to the Substance Architecture team! Gianna is a recent graduate of Iowa State University’s Architecture program. She grew up in nearby Norwalk, Iowa but has traveled to 15 different countries and hopes to add more destinations to that list soon. She loves reading classic novels and will never turn down an opportunity to compete in sports. Gianna believes that architecture is a life-centered discipline and that architects bear a profound and dynamic responsibility in shaping the built environment of our world. Every building or structure tells a unique story which, she hopes, can evolve throughout time and outlast generations. Welcome, Gianna!

September 2025 marks Substance Architecture's 20th anniversary. Of course, a firm isn't founded in a day. It's the culmination of years of experience, ideas, and the collective vision of many. Over the course of this year, we will reflect on the people, projects, and moments which led us to where we are today. We hope you enjoy this look back as we look forward to what's ahead. We are grateful to Substance’s original partners—Jason Alread, William Anderson, FAIA, Tim Hickman, and Paul Mankins, FAIA, LEED AP—whose vision was to create a collaborative practice that would advance the discipline of architecture and improve the community in which we live and work. Their visionary leadership continues to inspire us, and we strive to uphold these original values today.

Iowa State University’s Stark Performance Center received an Honorable Mention in The 2024 American Architecture Awards presented by the The Chicago Athenaeum Museum for Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies. Since 1994, The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, together with The European Center for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and Metropolitan Arts Press, has organized The American Architecture Awards as a way to honor the best, new significant projects designed and/or built in the United States and abroad by the most important American architects and planners practicing nationally and internationally. The American Architecture Awards are dedicated to the recognition of excellence in architecture and urbanism in the United States and the directions and understanding of current cutting-edge processes consistent with today’s design thinking. Congratulations to everyone involved in this project and to all the award winners! ??:?Corey Gaffer Neumann Brothers MODUS Engineering Raker Rhodes Engineering, LLC Snyder & Associates, Inc. #IowaStateCyclones?#iowastatefootball?#iowastateuniversity?#iowastatecyclones?#jacktricestadium?#architecture?#Iowa?#substancearchitecture

Earlier this month?Substance Architecture?visited?Louisiana Tech University?for a compelling lecture titled "Embracing Change: An Evolution by Design.", Leah Rudolphi, AIA and Dakota Smith, Assoc. AIA, shared their insights into how design evolves to meet the challenges of a changing world. Before the lecture, Dakota and Leah met with students for architectural reviews, exchanging ideas and providing thoughtful feedback. It was a fantastic opportunity for collaboration and inspiration. Thank you, Dakota and Leah, for your guidance, and to the students for your energy and creativity!

Last week, we had the privilege of hosting the penultimate review for a second-year architecture studio from Iowa State University - College of Design, led by our own?Dakota Smith. The session brought students into our studio space, where they presented their design explorations to a panel of critics from regional architecture practices. This salon-style critique offered a dynamic, collaborative atmosphere that showcased the students’ creativity while encouraging thoughtful dialogue about their work. Read and see more at the link!

We're thrilled to see construction underway for the new Fire Station No. 4 in northwest Des Moines! We're proud to partner with the City of Des Moines and Ryan Companies US, Inc. on a facility that will enhance emergency response times and prioritize firefighter health and safety. With site preparation complete and the foundation set, the building structure will begin to rise over the winter. Expected to be completed in late 2025, this new station will support vital services for the community, and we’re excited to watch it take shape!