Snøhetta has designed the new Vesterheim Commons building in Decorah, Iowa, United States.

The Vesterheim Commons establishes a dynamic new entry point and gathering space for a cultural campus containing a museum, folk art school and other community-oriented facilities.

Aside from anchoring the site, this project threads together Vesterheim's Heritage Park with Water Street, the city's main thoroughfare.

Marked on the street by a soaring wooden canopy, the building's public reception lobby mirrors the cosy and sheltered outdoor rooms of the surrounding park.

In addition, flexible upper-level galleries, including state-of-the-art digital facilities and a new production studio, create spaces where visitors can explore a rich collection of artefacts and artworks.

This project has been longlisted in the cultural project category of Dezeen Awards 2025.

Studio: Snøhetta
Project: Vesterheim Commons