Sequel Architecture

Sequel Architecture sits in the historic Woodland neighborhood of Des Moines. This building was built at the turn of the century as a grocery and then was later a black-owned barber shop for many years until it closed down and was left abandoned. The owner, Steve bought the property and restored it, preserving the heritage of the building and the stories and memories it holds for many who once frequented the barber shop. It is a story of historical preservation and sustainability that made this property an amazing opportunity for Compass Ecological. The property is now home to over 42 native species with the focal point being the ‘hellstrip’ where short, dry-loving native plants were planted 6” apart at times to keep the planting as true to a prairie ecosystem as possible. Closer to the building are several species of taller growing native plants that were chosen to create a vignette of flowers as one looks out from inside the building. Another planting along the east side of the property includes 6 native shrubs, 4 Prairie Willows (Salix humilis), and 2 Dwarf Chinquapin Oaks (Quercus prinoides) which will provide an aesthetic border and privacy screen for the property as well as food and cover for wildlife. The cherry on top of the project is a plow-shaped sculpture placed at the end of the ramp access. To me, it symbolizes defiance against the destruction of the prairie which was made possible by the advent of the self-scouring steel-bottom plow known as the ‘sodbuster’. This specific plow was invented by John Deere in Moline, Illinois, and made the impossible feat of turning over the dense prairie sod a reality. The sculpture will now be surrounded by the very plants that the plow once destroyed.