Old Post Office Plaza

A successful architectural feat responds both to the history of its context and the modern moment of its space, and the Old Post Office Plaza does just that. Tucked into the cityscape of St. Louis, the Plaza speaks to the renowned, historical Greek myth of Icarus who flew too close to the sun and has a grandiose, airy feeling of something alive and ready to take flight. This is accomplished through wide, winding staircases, swaths of seating areas, and artistic accents like the eye-catching sculpture Toroso di Ikaro by Polish artist Igor Mitoraj, which speaks to the tragedy of Daedalus and Icarus. The space promotes an active urban life with sprawling plateaus that respond to diverse cycles of visitation from seasonal change to varying user groups and communities.

Purpose

• Revitalize and reactivate an underused area of downtown St. Louis

Slender Features

• 1:120 thickness to span ratio at custom steel light standards
• 1:40 thickness to span ratio at the cantilevered concrete stair and landing
• 1:100 at edges

cantilever conditions are expressed as equivalent simple spans

Novel Features

• Profiled cantilever concrete stair and landing

Progressive Features

• Revitalization of under-utilized urban space

Notable Value

• Responsive and adaptable in both design and construction
• Commitment to slenderness targets

Awards

• Canadian Architect Award of Merit, 2009

LINKS:
BSN Architects

SHOUT OUTS:
Barry Sampson (Baird Sampson Neuert Architects)
Mauro Carreno (Baird Sampson Neuert Architects)
Mike Timpe (Kozeny Wagner) – exceptionally collaborative
David Bowick (Blackwell) – Project Lead, Preliminary Design
Jeremy Taylor (Blackwell) – Structural Designer

IMAGE CREDITS:
Photo © Sam Fentress: samfentress.com, Debbie Franke