Downtown Des Moines: Parks, Art, Architecture

Like many cities around the country, Des Moines has experienced a renaissance of its downtown and riverfront, with historic structures preserved, new buildings, and public spaces with art and parks.

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Like many cities around the country, Des Moines has experienced a renaissance of its downtown and riverfront, with historic structures preserved, new buildings, and public spaces with art and parks.

Consider a tour of these highlights, part of a 10-year, $2 billion revitalization:

—The Des Moines Public Library, by British architect David Chipperfield, has a simple linear design that resembles a cutout of an airplane and serves as a bridge between the city and surrounding park. The building features state-of-the-art energy conservation systems and an exterior made of thin copper mesh sandwiched between two layers of glass. The walls seem to disappear at dusk and artificial light within appears to glow.

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—The Temple for Performing Arts, an ornate Masonic temple built in 1913, is now a recital hall with a ground-floor restaurant, Centro.

—Riverwalk unites the east and west sides of town in a 1.2-mile loop with paths and bridges connecting more than 83 acres including public art, a civic garden and skating rink.

—The Davis Brown Tower public art wall by Kansas City artist, STRETCH, called "Des Moines Color Field," uses recycled Maytag dryer glass windows and LED lighting programmed with different colors and motion.

—Other downtown attractions include the Court Avenue District, the new Science Center of Iowa, the Iowa Events Center, and the Des Moines Botanical Gardens, with its centerpiece pagoda, brought over from China and rebuilt in Des Moines brick by brick.

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