BEST BRICK PROJECT

Best Brick Project
University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art 
Local 3 Iowa
Signatory Contractor: Seedorff Masonry, Inc.

The University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art is a project that not only rises to the challenges of design and craftsmanship, but also sets a new standard for excellence in masonry. The museum’s journey began after the devastating flood of 2008, prompting the need for a new home that would safeguard the museum’s collections while honoring the history and traditions of the surrounding campus. BNIM, the project’s architect, led the way with a design that is as timeless as it is innovative, creating a building that complements both the art inside and the landscape outside.

The new Stanley Museum of Art stands as a 63,000-square-foot masterpiece, with 16,500 square feet of exhibition space and 2,200 square feet of outdoor gallery space. The building’s façade is a striking composition of glass and manganese ironspot brick, incorporating a Flemish bond pattern that gives it both strength and energy. The integration of two outdoor terraces and a dramatic three-story lightwell creates a unique interplay of light and space, drawing visitors into the heart of the building.

One of the most remarkable features of this project was the complexity of the masonry work. The cladding of the building required exacting attention to detail – every brick, bond pattern, and joint was carefully planned and executed. 
The team worked with nine distinct brick shapes, four different brick patterns, and 214,888 individual bricks, each installed with the utmost precision. The Flemish bond pattern demanded a level of precision rarely seen in masonry. The projected headers, proud by 2 ¼ inches from the wall’s plane, are not just functional – they create vertical, horizontal, and diagonal sightlines that are critical to the design.
 
The Stanley Museum of Art isn’t just a building – it’s a work of art in itself; made for future generations by BAC Local 3 IA members for future generations.