Unlocking potential

An independent, non-profit organization, ACT is a leader in developing and administering assessments that help individuals achieve their educational goals and build careers. To keep up with their continued growth, ACT was looking to expand their office space into a new environment that would foster collaboration and unlock the potential of its dedicated staff.

Located just north of downtown Iowa City along the rolling hills between I-80 and Highway 1, ACT found the perfect wooded site for their new corporate headquarters.

Flad designed a stand-alone, two-story office building and an adjacent amenity building to house meeting and training rooms and a full-service, 300-seat cafeteria wrapped around a beautifully landscaped terrace. Linked by pedestrian routes that help guide employees, the buildings are clustered around a central courtyard that defines a formal outdoor space and creates an interactive social center at the heart of the campus.

The clean and contemporary building design utilizes stone, metal panel, and glass to complement the surrounding natural landscape. Building transparency, associated with smaller office blocks, creates an interior that is flooded with natural light, helping to elevate mood and enhance productivity. Flexible and open workspaces promote interaction and idea exchange, while providing direct, aesthetically-pleasing views to the wooded site and exterior terraces.

The distinctive design of the new headquarters facility helps ACT achieve their goal of integrating diverse people and ideas into a high-quality, functional, and healthy environment that fosters collaboration, inspires imagination, and encourages innovation.