Lovers of historic buildings of any American city can recognize the significance of these inhabitants of Saint Louis's restored  Manchester Road neighborhood. Developers Amy & Amrit Gill brought about the transformation of this once dilapidated and chronically underachieving locale with determined vision, and I was fortunate to begin my professional career restoring these jewels.

Sturdily constructed and charmingly embellished, these little buildings were the perfect starting point for my continuing obsession with construction details and fledgling belief that true sustainability comes from a respect for the existing fabric of our communities.

While many of the original storefronts had been destroyed there were glimpses of hope as we removed layer upon layer of rotting plywood and shabby short-term solutions that had formed the depressing facade of Manchester Road for decades. 

Reciprocating saw in hand, I clambered over rotting floors and broken glass to retrieve original woodwork as often as I could. These small pieces, taken here and there among the wreckage would form the kit of parts for our historic restorations with local lumberyards milling replica stock that fit together like puzzle pieces to reveal the tidy storefronts of yesteryear.

Now a vibrant link between the Central West End corridor, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the historic Tower Grove and Shaw Park neighborhoods, The Grove is a testament to sound investment and a will to rebuild.

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This urban infill project is part of Bowood Farms' continuing rehabilitation of the dilapidated northern reaches of Saint Louis's upscale Central West End district.
Enclosing 2 city lots in a protective yet remarkably open embrace, the new timber-frame structure houses the nursery's trees and shrub stock. When winter rolls around the summer stock disappears and the Christmas trees arrive!
Heavy timber and translucent corrugated roofing combine to provide year-round protection for plants and shoppers in a light and airy enclosure. The ring-plan opens to the alley across which the retail shopping and cafe welcome all.

One of a more than a dozen residences I was privileged to work on during the 2009-2011 gut rehab of the Chase Park Plaza, this home is comprised of 2 base units which the owner purchased with dreams of creating their new residence high above the city's Forest Park.
Working within the constraints of a structure designed by architect Preston Bradshaw in the early 1920's, our design team* transformed the raw concrete cavern into a home of singular refinement.
100% Residence, this home serves its humble functions while hosting world famous art, artists, friends and other collectors.
As the saying goes, "god is in the details", and this project is the proof. From custom-designed cabinetry and fittings and details that create a spare simplicity, to rooms designed around specific works of art, to the articulated steel and stone staircase which dominates the entry hall, neither effort nor expense was spared to make the owner's dreams a reality.

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*CHA, H3Studio

This lakeside residence had it's share of problems. From a dark front entry worn shabby with age to a driveway that drained into the cramped one-car garage, this house didn't come close to representing the warmth and hospitality of its owners. When their quiet street began to sprout super-sized suburban boxes they were left defenseless. 
A little infill took care of the drainage problem and a new front garden provides both buffer and embrace for the inhabitants and their guests.

Washington University Studio Project 
Juhani Pallasmaa, Leslie Van Duzer

An investigation of vernacular building...I chose to focus on building types from the cradle of civilization, the Iranian plateau. Inhabitants of this region have met the challenge of adapting themselves to their climate with a variety of constructions, from giant water wheels to aqueducts, ice-freezing and storing structures to water and wind-powered air conditioning. I combined these types into an integrated urban/agricultural system on the Tigris. 

While undeniably charming, the original master bath in this Washington Terrace home fell well short of the current owner's needs. A re-planning of the 2nd floor east wing of the home as a master suite with laundry facilities and dressing room goes a long way toward bringing this elegant domicile into the 21st Century. Norbert Markway Construction for the build-out, with material selection and interior design by the owner.

Unfortunately for me my involvement with this building never went beyond as-is recording and preliminary drafting before ownership changed hands...I spent hours and hours crawling over this building and hanging out of windows at dizzying heights to get the decorative masonry and I can't help sharing these images - such a great old building and a great story. Fortunately for Saint Louis investors took notice and transformed this lovely monster into an arts education center.

Washington University, Helsinki Studio
Jouni Kaipia, Instructor 

Small library dedicated to Finnish author Tove Jansson, creator of the Moomins. The site is a small island just off the shore of one of Helsinki's premier recreational parks and is accessible in the summer by ferry. 

The building's lowest spaces nestle into the solid rock and a low sloping roof echoes the glacier-ground planes of the granite surfaces. Program includes black box theater, gallery, coffee shop, lending library, archival storage, offices, scholar's study rooms and a children's activity wing and library are located in the black wood slat clad tower.

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This collector's space caters to the private nature of the owner as a scholar. Custom lighting provided by Randy Burkett (RBLDI) at each significant piece and with several spaces custom fitted to the needs of the works displayed.

Axial views organize the spaces and give a sense of the depth in the unit with the central entry hall acting as divider between the owner's private quarters and the guest rooms, utilities and office spaces.

Just a deck...just a freshening up and a little bit of tidying...The construction drawings specified Redwood, mitered joints and an angled bottom cut on the balustrade, for distinction. Landmark Builders' master carpenter Steve Wollberg finessed every detail to perfection and then went a few better than I had conceived. Note: previous addition, a kitchen and wood-framed 2nd floor sunroom, by John Mike Cohen of Cohen Hilberry Architects.

In the early 1900's Saint Louis saw a boom in automobile manufacturing and sales...the Willys-Overland company commissioned this building from the firm Mills, Rhines, Bellman and Nordhoff and began selling automobiles in 1918 along with nearly a dozen other manufacturers within a 8-block area of mid-town. Bruton-Stroube studios, established in the adjacent "Beethoven Building", purchased the Willys-Overland building in order to add sound recording capabilities to their well-established commercial photography business. Architect Bill Wischmeyer delivered an initial layout and design scheme for the new space - Cohen Hilberry made it happen while also completing research and paperwork for historic tax credits to be applied to funding for the project.