BBS Architects Engineers

Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company

Home Office Building with Expansion
Home Office Building with Expansion
Home Office Building with Expansion

Project Data: 
Original–180,000 SF
Expansion–236,000 SF 

Client Need:
When Iowa Farm Bureau and its affiliated companies outgrew their downtown office building, a decision was made to move to a setting more connected to nature. This was motivated by the need for long-term growth along with the natural identity and affinity of the Farm Bureau with the land. A 55-acre, gently rolling site was selected west of the metropolitan area with easy access to the City and to the interstate system. 

BBS Approach:
This is a building literally “of the earth” as the major exterior and interior material is a rich brown brick with teak glass settings.

In 1987, it was determined that an addition should be designed to add 236,000 SF to the facility, doubling the size of the original building.

Project Results:

  • Space on each floor is divided into two 20,000 square foot office spaces with a central circulation and service “spine” connecting the elements. 
  • Openings between floors with natural daylight flooding from “monitors” above give an open and spacious feeling. 
  • The cafeteria on the first floor seats 265 persons and is easily converted to an auditorium seating 535.
  • Glass walls on three sides offer a sweeping view of the rolling Iowa countryside.
  • The 1987 addition consists of three basic elements:
  1. East Wing - Essentially a replica of the original building; connected by the Atrium to that building. 
  2. Atrium - The “main street” for the complex, designed to extend to the south to allow the addition of future office wings.  The Atrium is an open, two-story space with a skylit roof supported by a formal arrangement of concrete columns.  A new entrance structure is located at the north end of the Atrium. 
  3. West Wing-  Connects directly to the Cafeteria Wing of the original building expanding that facility and adding a Wellness Center, Day Care Facility, and  Conference Center. 
  • Additional surface parking was developed to support the expanded complex.
Minnesota Farm Bureau Center
IADA Office Renovation
MacKay Hall Auditorium Renovation
Hospital Emergency Room Renovation & Expansion
Kemin Food Sciences Lab Renovation
Sabin Hall Renovation – LEED Gold
Iowa Events Center
Geoffroy Residence Hall
Levitt Center for University Advancement
Iowa City Federal Building - VHA Renovations
Utah Farm Bureau Center
Parking Garage
Reid “E” Research Facility
Catholic Pastoral Center Rehabilitation
BBS at 219 8th Street
Memorial Union Food Court
Science Center - New Facility
Covered Walkway
Union Drive Community Center Renovations
Lance and Ellie's Sandwich Shop
Hub Tower Conference Center
Extension 4-H Youth Building
Common Ground - Coffee Shop
Office Renovation
New Office
Camp Dodge Chapel Addition and Renovation
Coover Hall Infrastructure Study
ETRC Howe Hall
Food Sciences Building - Room 2379 Renovation
Beardshear Hall Remodeling
VRAC C6 and Office Suite
Camp Dodge Pool Campus Improvements
ABC - Office Build-Out
Ames Lab Metals Development Air Handling Unit Replacement
College of Human Sciences
Dodge House Renovations
219 Eighth Street
LeBaron Hall Replacement Study
Wyoming Farm Bureau Center
Biological Sciences Facility
Hub Tower Elevator Modernization
Hub Tower Office Tenant Improvement
Executive Suites Renovation
DSM Airport Energy Effiency Improvements
Corporate Headquarters Renovation
ETRC Hoover Hall
Arizona Farm Bureau Center
Lied Recreation Center - New Heating Water Plant
Terminal
Corporate Highrise
© 2023 BBS Architects | engineers, All rights reserved.