Hotel Fort Des Moines

Des Moines, Iowa

Reimagined to meet the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, the Hotel Fort Des Moines leverages state and federal historic tax credits while bringing a downtown icon back to life. The project removes a 1962 infill to reopen the original two-story lobby, restores street-level transparency by recreating historic window openings, and adds historically inspired entrance canopies at the primary entries. Inside, the first floor combines a library-style lounge, a high-end steakhouse, a corner bar, and a fast-casual café that spills onto outdoor seating. The Grand Ballroom on level two is fully renewed and now connects via a new exterior stair to a redesigned pocket-park in the west courtyard. Below, a fitness area occupies the hotel's former barber-shop location, and a tucked-away speakeasy—accessed through the upstairs bar—extends the nightlife story.

Project completed while at INVISION — Role: Project Design Architect; Interior Designer

Photos by Cameron Campbell; Integrated Studio