According to Don Swanson (Chapter President 1999-2000), this consulting engineer was more commonly known as “Judge” Landes. He had a unique approach to design. After studying the architect’s plans, he would go and sit on a bench by the Des Moines River for a while, then come back into the office and start drawing.

B.E. Landes graduated from Iowa State College with a Mechanical Engineering degree in 1917 and was employed with Proudfoot, Bird, Rawson & Co. in Des Moines.