On September 17, the Stanley Center for Peace and Security will host a “Ground Healing” ceremony to kick off the construction of its new headquarters in Muscatine, Iowa. The project will renovate the former Musser Public Library while adhering to the rigorous standards of the Living Building Challenge (LBC). In addition to promoting sustainability, the LBC presents opportunities to engage the local community. Here, we explore the Stanley Center’s connection to Muscatine, its commitment to global education, and its plans to engage the community through the LBC.

In the 1970s, Iowa City undertook an ambitious urban renewal project. As businesses moved to large-scale shopping centers on the city’s outskirts, downtown began to resemble a ghost town. Once-occupied historic buildings became vacant and city officials feared urban blight. Hoping to reinvigorate its central business district, the City used federal funds to demolish undermaintained buildings and encourage modern development.

Public art is a vital component of Iowa City’s cultural identity. Throughout downtown, brightly colored hand-painted murals enliven the streetscape and cultivate a sense of place. While some murals are commissioned by the city, others represent a close collaboration between property owners and local artists. One such mural, “The Reciprocal of Humanity,” adorns Market House in Iowa City’s Northside neighborhood.

In 2019, the Stanley Center for Peace and Security partnered with Neumann Monson and Graham Construction to design and build their new headquarters in Muscatine, Iowa. The new facility will adhere to the standards of the Living Building Challenge (LBC), the most rigorous measure for sustainable design.

Iowa City’s Weatherdance Fountain Stage Canopy is featured in the Summer 2021 issue of Iowa Architect Magazine. The article touches on how the detailed design of the structure’s glass and steel assembly supports a range of activities, adding vibrancy to the city’s pedestrian mall. Whether acting as a performance venue, a meeting spot, or just a shady respite, the canopy serves a diverse, year-round population of shoppers, students, gameday visitors, parents with children, and people watchers.

The recently completed Iowa City Public Works (ICPW) facility has been named 2021 Project of the Year in the Small Cities/Rural Communities category by the American Public Works Association (APWA). APWA, a not-for-profit organization, presents national awards related to Public Works projects, including buildings, public transportation, and more. Building projects are judged against several criteria, including safety performance, community relations, sustainability, and construction management techniques.

At first glance, Muscatine, Iowa appears to be a small and unassuming community, but there is more to this Mississippi River town than meets the eye. For over 60 years, the Stanley Center for Peace and Security has called Muscatine home. The Center brings together journalists, scholars, and diplomats from around the globe to drive policy change related to nuclear disarmament, mass violence prevention, and climate change solutions.

The Zweig Group has ranked Neumann Monson the second-best architecture firm to work for in their 2021 national employee experience survey. The Zweig Group “Best Firms to Work For Awards” is the largest employee experience survey in the architecture, engineering, environmental, planning, and construction (AEC) industry. The program evaluates AEC firms on culture, workplace practices, employee benefits, retention rates, professional development, and more—from both management and staff perspectives. Awards were given in multiple categories based on firm size and discipline.

We are pleased to announce our status as a Just Organization. The Just Program, provided through the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), assesses company culture in areas related to equity and social justice. In 2020, an undeniably challenging year of our nation, we used Just to look inward and make a difference externally. Participating in Just is one component of Neumann Monson’s larger, ongoing effort to drive positive change in our work, communities, and the world at large. Just Organization The ILFI provides communities and organizations with the tools to create a more “socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative world.” Their Just Program helps companies improve equity and employee well-being. Specifically, the program assesses areas like diversity and inclusion, equality, employee health, employee benefits, and stewardship. By participating in the program, companies receive a “nutrition label” that summarizes how they perform in these areas and where they can improve. The “nutrition label” is a straightforward, easy-to-understand document, allowing companies to easily share their results with the public. This increases public transparency and helps inspire other companies to participate in Just, creating better workplaces for all. Why is this Important? The workplace is not immune to inequality. According to the National Equity Atlas, people of color earn a staggering 22% less than their white counterparts. The gender pay gap is still not zero according to PayScale, and the national wage gap, regardless of gender or color, has widened dramatically in recent decades. Full-time employees in the 10th percentile have earned 12% less since 1980, while the top 90th percentile has earned 20% more. It’s time companies make equity a top priority. Economic inequality is one part of the equation. To commit to social justice, companies need to look at the larger picture and find ways to improve their employees’ work/life balance and their engagement with the community. Just provides a holistic assessment of company culture and examines employee health and civic participation in addition to financial compensation. Whether enhancing HR programs or deepening employee engagement, Just helps us meet the challenges of today’s world. Our Just Label At Neumann Monson, we are striving to drive positive change—through the work we do and the way we do it. The start of our journey begins with becoming a Just organization and transparently outlining our policies for our team and the public to see. Compared to other US architecture firms, we excel in many areas, but there is always room for improvement. As we continue to push forward in 2021, we will strive to improve our practices and encourage other organizations to follow suit. See our “nutrition label” here. Although our journey to become a more just and equitable organization is far from over, we know that we are headed in the right direction and are encouraged by the changes we are making. Lately, the team has been brainstorming ways to improve our Just score, particularly our physical health score. In addition to providing reimbursement for gym memberships, we are planning to participate in a CDC Health Assessment and launch an employee health program. Just recognizes that health comes in many forms and advocates for work environments where employees feel safe, supported, and energized. We want to make it easy for our employees to make healthy choices and include everyone in the effort. We are also pursuing ways to drive positive change in our communities by participating in other challenges offered through ILFI. The Stanley Center for Peace and Security in Muscatine, Iowa aims to meet the standards of ILFI’s Living Building Challenge, the most rigorous standard for sustainability. To meet these standards, the Stanley Center must produce 110% of its energy and offset its water usage, all while engaging the community in a positive, productive way. Sustainability is one of our top priorities, and we are thrilled to work with this like-minded, mission-driven client. Programs like the Living Building Challenge and Just encourage us to reach new heights and improve our relationship with both our employees and the community. We encourage organizations everywhere to participate in this voluntary program to assess their equity and learn how they can improve. Together, we can create a better future for all.

We are proud to announce that the Unitarian Universalist Society (UUS) Facility in Coralville, IA received the Iowa Impact Award. This award, presented by the Iowa Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), recognizes projects that benefit “social, humanitarian, community, or environmental causes.” As the name suggests, the AIA Impact Award encourages architects and their clients to make a positive impact on the community—and we are thrilled AIA Iowa has recognized this project’s success.