This month, we wrap up Blueprint South Dakota’s spotlight on the entries from the 2025 Design Awards competition. AIA South Dakota members again proved their creativity and problem-solving skills with beautifully functional work, on display in communities across South Dakota and beyond. Each installment in this series introduces readers to a different project, in the design team’s own words. As part of every entry form, AIA SD asked submitters to provide a “long description” that addressed the design intent and its progression. We invited submitters to go beyond the stats to show the value the project added for their client or community. In turn, they detailed the problems the project solved, told how their process made the most of hidden opportunities, and described the ways the design supports the client or community through form and function.
Illinois Central Depot
The basics
- Firm: Koch Hazard Architects
- Client: Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation
- Category: Small Project
- Location: Sioux Falls, S.D.
The story
The Illinois Central Depot, built in 1887 on the east bank of the Big Sioux River, originally served as a bustling transportation hub in Sioux Falls. Constructed from locally quarried Sioux quartzite and designed in the Queen Anne style, the depot was both a key passenger station and a vital point for shipping quartzite throughout the Midwest. However, as automobile travel gained popularity in the 1950s, the depot’s role as a passenger station began to decline, leading to its eventual decommissioning.
Today, the building houses the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating charitable giving, endowment development, and legacy planning. Since moving into the depot in 2013, the Foundation has outgrown its space.
To address these constraints, two 750-square-foot additions were constructed. One addition houses a conference space, while the other provides private offices. These expansions allowed for a reorganization of the interior, enhancing functionality, flexibility, and flow, while also giving the space a fresh update with modern finishes.
The additions were designed to complement the historic structure. A flat roof was chosen to ensure the new elements did not compete with the depot’s distinctive features, while steel channels were incorporated to echo the building’s railroad and industrial heritage. Slate cladding was used to complement the original material palette, and extruded curtain-wall mullions were added to introduce visual depth. Inside, oak hardwood portals were placed at the threshold openings of load-bearing masonry walls. A wood-slat feature wall was introduced to separate public and staff areas, maintaining visual connectivity between them. Local artwork pieces are displayed throughout, creating an inviting atmosphere.
A large monolithic reception desk was positioned adjacent to the feature wall, clearly defining the reception area. The space was further refreshed with refinished reclaimed wood flooring, freshly painted walls, and new light fixtures. The overall design aimed to create an interior that feels open, warm, and filled with natural light.
More projects in the series
Click to view a video of all 22 entries in the 2025 AIA South Dakota Design Awards.
