Cannon Design
Regional Offices, Power House Restoration, Renovation & Adaptive Reuse
St. Louis, MO
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.
“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. ” Contract Magazine, Interior Award of Sustainable Design
Concluding a two-year search, Cannon Design purchased the Power House, a landmark 19,000 sf building in downtown St. Louis, as the new headquarters for the firm’s St. Louis offices. Constructed in 1926 to generate steam heat for nearby municipal buildings, the Power House, easily recognized by its tall, arched windows on three street façades and fine terra cotta detailing, had sat vacant for 25 years. The $8 million adaptive reuse project strikes a synergy with other exciting downtown St. Louis developments such as Ballpark Village and Cupples District and achieved LEED Gold certification in 2009.
The revamped Power House features a three-story interior 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 Cannon Design’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. The interior, essentially an empty shell, was completely rehabilitated, with installation of HVAC, plumbing, and electrical infrastructure. External modifications include historically accurate replacement of windows in their original masonry openings and creation of a 3,500 sf urban garden.
View LEED Points
- Office and conference space
- Three-story interior gallery
- Rooftop penthouse
- 3,500 sf urban garden
Every component of the interior is new and designed to current life-safety codes and LEED Gold standards, which status was achieved in July 2009. In pursuit of this achievement, the design team applied an integrated, holistic approach at every stage of the restoration/ rehabilitation process. The design strives to showcase not only the new construction and formal expression, but emphasize the original character of this historic structure. The interior glazed brick, concrete decks, board-formed concrete walls, and steel support structure are preserved in their natural form as a singular reminder of this robust industrial space. In every space in the structure, the elements of the building’s history are part of the aesthetic.
Distinctions
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2008 Better Downtown Award
Partnership for Downtown St. Louis
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America’s Best Buildings of the Year (ABBY) Awards, Citation of Excellence
Buildings Magazine
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Award of Merit
Illuminating Engineering Society of North America
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Award of Merit
Society of American Registered Architects
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Best of Year Awards – Award of Merit
Interior Design Magazine
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Citation of Excellence
Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario
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Citation of Excellence /Green Facilities
Buildings Magazine
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Developer/Development of the Year
St. Louis Development Corporation
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Distinguished Building Award
Society of American Registered Architects
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Global Award for Excellence Finalist
Urban Land Institute
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Good Design is Good Business Award
Architectural Record
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Green GOOD Award
Chicago Athenaeum, Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies
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Growing Green Award
United States Green Building Council, St. Louis Chapter
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Honor Award
AIA Central States Region
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Institute Honor Award
American Institute of Architects
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Interior Award for Sustainable Design
Contract Magazine
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International Architecture Award
Chicago Athenaeum, Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies
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Keystone Award
St. Louis Construction News and Real Estate
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Merit Award
AIA St. Louis
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Most Enhanced Award
Landmark Association of St. Louis
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National USA Award for Architecture
International Property Award (Bloomberg, Inc.)
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Project of the Year
Steel Erector's Association of America
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Project of the Year - Power House/Restoration/Renovation
Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario
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Regional Excellence Awards/Historic Renovation
St. Louis Construction News and Real Estate
Credits
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Gayle Babcock/Architectural Imageworks, LLC
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Patti Gabriel Photography
Publications
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High Performing Buildings
Restoring Power - Cannon Design’s Power House
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On Office
Power Play
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Ecolibrium
Adaptive reuse - A St. Louis design firm shines some light on the subject
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Contract
Environmental Interiors Awards
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Canadian Architecture & Design Magazine
The Power House - ARIDO Project of the Year
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AZURE
Power House