Role
Co-Design Lead
LA Project Manager
Graphics & Visualization
Cost Estimation
Construction Documentation
Construction Administration

Awards & Certifications
LEED Gold Certification

2022 St. Louis Business Journal Commercial Real Estate Awards Community Impact Finalist

2023 AIA St. Louis Design Awards Honor Award

Missouri Foundation for Health works with communities and nonprofits to generate positive changes in health. The project included renovating an abandoned industrial building and two residential flats into a unified campus that supports wellness, inclusivity, and resilience.

The Foundation’s new headquarters is located in the renovated industrial building that serves as a new modern workplace while the residential flats were transformed into employee amenity spaces and leasable office space.

At the heart of the campus sits a minimalist inspired courtyard that connects the three buildings and provides a central gathering place. The courtyard includes a large gathering space within an open-air atrium, an adaptive use central lawn, and an outdoor workspace with a pergola constructed of re-purposed web joists. The planting palette surprises visitors and patrons with their variety and vibrant hues, while displaying native species in bold strokes.

Rain gardens were integrated into the site entry experience to not only manage stormwater from the parking area, but also a majority of the roof area. The primary rain garden was strategically placed to ensure every visitor, employee, and board member traverses the basin upon arrival. Additionally, stormwater from the rooftops enter this primary rain garden via open grate trenches placed within entry plaza. These features bring urban stormwater management to the forefront of the design by highlighting a few of the key contributors of non-point source pollution in urban areas.

Although stormwater management is at the forefront of the entry sequence, the true heart of the project is a 150-year-old pin oak that dominates the eastern half of the site. Once hidden between vacant residential buildings and masked by volunteer growth, every effort was taken to preserve the iconic legacy tree. Working closely with local arborists, the design team developed a strategy to utilize on grade permeable pavers in the areas directly adjacent to the tree; creating a flexible use space that is home to farmers markets, health fairs, live performances, and can accommodat overflow parking.