Description
After standing vacant for nearly 30 years, the 19,000 sf Power House building in downtown St. Louis opened as Cannon Design’s new regional office. Constructed in 1928 and designated as a landmark by the National Historic Register, the Power House provided coal-fired steam heat to a dozen downtown buildings until its decommissioning in 1980. Although the building’s exterior shell and original structural steel were fundamentally sound, significant imagination and rigorous design analysis were required to convert the building for use by a large, thriving design practice. New floors were cantilevered within the building’s massive volume to create a total of 32,000 sf of office and conference space. The floors are set back from the building’s spectacular windows to maintain the sense of transparency and volume. Exterior improvements included creation of a 3,500 sf urban garden and historically accurate replacement of windows in their original masonry openings – with insulated, low-E coated glass to reduce solar gain and air-conditioning expenditures. The building achieved LEED Gold certification in 2009.
Since initial move-in, the building has performed at an exceptionally high level, exceeding even forecasted energy-use predictions. Major contributors to this success are the high-efficiency window system, control systems for day and night cooling, and CO2 sensors that control ventilation. In the first year of occupancy, the building’s energy consumption was 47 percent below the ASHRAE 90.1-2004 baseline. High-efficiency plumbing fixtures and collection of stormwater in an underground cistern for irrigation reduced water usage an estimated 33 percent below baseline.
Distinctions
- American Institute of Architects
- Institute Honor Award
- Chicago Athenaeum, Museum of Architecture and Design and
The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies - International Architecture Award
- Chicago Athenaeum, Museum of Architecture and Design and
The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies - Green GOOD Award
- Architectural Record
- Good Design is Good Business Award
- International Property Award (Bloomberg, Inc.)
- National USA Award for Architecture
- Society of American Registered Architects
- Award of Merit
- AIA Central States Region
- Honor Award
- Interior Design Magazine
- Best of Year Awards – Award of Merit
- Contract Magazine
- Interior Award for Sustainable Design
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“This project creates a great statement for designers in the idea of respecting a beautiful building while still finding a way to make it feel modern. It speaks to the essence of sustainability, which is not only to be concerned about what is new, but also to respect and reuse what is already there. This project demonstrates the notion that the most sustainable building is the one not built. If sustainability emphasizes ‘leave no footsteps,’ this one seems to dance.”
- Buildings Magazine
- Citation of Excellence /Green Facilities
- AIA St. Louis
- Merit Award
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“A spirited renovation can be just as powerful as a new building.”
- Illuminating Engineering Society of North America
- Award of Merit
- Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario
- Project of the Year - Power House/Restoration/Renovation
- Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario
- Citation of Excellence
- Partnership for Downtown St. Louis
- 2008 Better Downtown Award
- Steel Erector's Association of America
- Project of the Year
- St. Louis Construction News and Real Estate
- Regional Excellence Awards/Historic Renovation
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“The “ship in a bottle” design and construction reclaimed a long abandoned power plant and brownfield site as a modern, environmentally sensitive office building in a renovated historic skin.”
- Landmark Association of St. Louis
- Most Enhanced Award
- St. Louis Development Corporation
- Developer/Development of the Year
- St. Louis Construction News and Real Estate
- Keystone Award


