Azure, which profiles international designers and projects; and Interiors and Sources , which focuses exclusively on commercial interior design, are just two of many publications that have been drawn with interest to new St. Louis Regional office of Cannon Design. In addition, a Building-Types Study (BTS) on Architectural Record’s online site; and an in-depth article in On-Office Magazine, a new magazine focused on the workplace—featured the Power House.
Constructed in 1928, the Power House was an original part of the Municipal Services Building. The Power House component, designated a landmark by the National Historic Register, provided coal-fired steam heat to a dozen downtown buildings, but was decommissioned by the City in 1980.
On July 14, 2009, The Power House was awarded LEED® Gold status by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). In pursuit of this significant achievement, the design team applied an integrated, holistic approach at every stage of the restoration/ rehabilitation process, with every component of the building’s interior new and designed to current life-safety codes and LEED® standards.
The final design floats two separate floor plates above the ground floor inside the tall volume, thereby creating two extra floors and ample collaborative meeting space and workspaces for approximately 120 employees. In addition, an elevator shaft, kitchenettes on each floor, and two staircases located against the back wall in the northwest and southwest corners—were all achieved within the historical building envelope.
Within that original framework, a model shop and materials library plus a boardroom are carved out of the basement. On the roof, an oblong structure originally used to store coal conveyor equipment now houses another boardroom and staff lunchroom.
The revamped Power House features a three-story gallery formed by constructing two partial levels that, combined with the existing two floors and rooftop penthouse, create a total of 32,000 sf of office and conference space designed to facilitate the firm’s highly collaborative, team-oriented work approach. The new floors are set back from the building’s spectacular windows to maintain the building’s sense of transparency and volume and to create gallery space for the community as well as for corporate functions.
