Goldberg/Esto, Pelli Clarke & Partners

After the original Hancher Auditorium suffered devastating damage in the 2008 Iowa River flood, many feared the curtain had fallen on one of the Midwest’s most important performing arts venues. But less than a decade later, the institution was reborn on higher ground as a striking new landmark designed by Pelli Clarke & Partners. Completed in 2016, the new Hancher overlooks the Iowa River from a prominent hilltop site and greets visitors with sweeping horizontal lines that echo the surrounding landscape and the curve of the river. Cantilevered terraces extend dramatically over the lobby and second-level terrace, while expansive glass walls flood the interior with natural light and frame panoramic views of the campus and water below. At night, the building glows warmly, with its curved metal and glass forms inviting audiences inside.