When the 2008 recession took its toll in Humboldt, Kans., B&W Trailer Hitches co-founder Joe Works came up with a plan to help the community move forward. To avoid layoffs, he paid employees to clean up the then-struggling town. A little over a decade later, there is a renewed energy in Humboldt. Under the campaign of ‘A Bolder Humboldt’, the Works family has steadily revived the cultural and economic vitality of this small Midwestern town. The Humboldt Fitness Center is one of the more recently-completed projects.

The agrarian-inspired building’s bold and modern metal work commands attention from every direction. Diamond-shaped panels, fabricated by B&W, cover the east and facades. Custom canopies sweeping across the north and south ends were cut by B&W’s industrial tube laser.

Matthew will be presenting the Humboldt Fitness Center at the Facades+ online conference later this month. Registration for the event is open.

You can also read more about this unique building and the inspiration behind it in the Architect’s Newspaper May issue and online.