Dubuque Museum of Art
Dubuque, IowaDubuque Museum of Art is located on the picturesque corner of Locust and Seventh Streets across from Washington Park in downtown Dubuque, Iowa. Already home to various cultural activities including art fairs, concerts and the annual Dubuque Fest, Washington Park provides an ideal museum setting. The project scope included extensive remodeling of an existing 1974 office/bank building. Renovation challenges included transforming the dark, introverted style of the bank to a contemporary, public facility. The south and east exterior facades were removed and redesigned to create an open, inviting presence from the street. Most of the existing interior walls and ceilings were demolished and a large section of the second floor was removed to create a two-story, transparent lobby space which provides striking views of Washington Park. New paving, lighting and plantings on Seventh Street reinforce the park's north edge and provide a transitional area between green space and building. Structural modifications were also completed to maximize ceiling heights on the first and second floors.