PWP Team Arch Proposal - Full Narrative

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL
St. Louis, Missouri
PWP Landscape Architecture | Foster+Partners | Civitas 08.12.2010

Core Team Project Team
Buro Happold ( Sustainability, MEP, Structural Engineering )
Peter Walker and Partners (Landscape Architecture)
Peter Walker, FASLA 2x4 (Graphic Design/Wayfinding)
Senior Design Partner Ned Kahn Studios (Art Integration)
Matthew Donham
Management Partner Quinn Evans Architects (Historic Setting, Section 106)
Mackey Mitchell (Local Architect of Record)
Foster + Partners (Architecture)
David Nelson, MA (RCA) Hon FRIBA Cole & Associates (Civil Engineering)
Director M3 (Hydraulic Engineer)
Spencer De Grey, MA Dip Arch
Director CBB (Local Traffic Engineer)
Mobility In Chain MIC (Mobility/Transit)
Civitas (Urban Design)
Lord Cultural Resources (Program/Visitation)
Mark Johnson, FASLA
Partner Vector Communications (Community Outreach)
George Sexton Associates (Lighting Design)
HRA (Economic Development)
Code Consultants (Code, Fire, Safety, Accessibility)
Davis Langdon (Cost Estimation)
James Ronda (Western Expansion Historian)
Dorothée Imbert (Cultural Landscape Historian)
Environmental Design (Tree Relocation/Protection)
CR Dixon Associates (Agronomy)
Christopher Grubbs (Imaging)

PWP Landscape Architecture | Foster+Partners | Civitas 3
Contents
00 Project Narrative, 2015 Program, and Team
01 Connect to Downtown
02 Reopen the Vista
03 Restore the Landscape
04 Engage the River
05 Expand the Museum
06 Reimagine the East Bank
07 Anticipate the Future
08 Appendix A: Competition Boards (reduced)
Technical Topics
2015 Program: Section 00
Long term vision: Section 07
City, Urban Design: Sections 01, 02, 04
Transportation, Trails: Sections 01, 03, 04, 06
The River: Section 04, 06
East Bank: Sections 01, 06
Universal Design, Accessibility: Sections 01, 07
NPS, Historic Preservation: Sections 03, 04, 05

The Memorial sits at the first safe landing on the Mississippi below the confluence of three great rivers. From this
location a web of agriculture, industry, and settlement expanded west to make St. Louis the center of a vast region
and the focus of river trade.

6 PWP Landscape Architecture | Foster+Partners | Civitas
Reframing the Arch | Expanding the Memorial
The Jefferson National Expansion At the historical and geographic center

Memorial is poised to expand into the of the Great Plains St. Louis has been
twenty-first century. The Arch itself pivotal in the growth of our national
symbolizes the courage and optimism psyche, from the development of
of those pioneers and entrepreneurs Mississippian agriculture to European
who opened the West. But the story of and African-American settlement to
human expansion began much earlier the crisis of slavery to the creation of
and continues today. Our design will a unique Heartland civilization. The
help the Memorial tell much more about Memorial site holds within it stories of
this expansion while it inspires visitors this diverse and forward-looking human
to think about the future ecological and development. Our design proposals
cultural development of the West. suggest a broadening of expression
and interpretation that will enable the
The flat fields of Illinois are not merely Memorial to tell more of the stories that
a natural creation. Rather, we see in root the American experience in the
them a human intervention that has land.
taken shape over more than a thousand
years. The Mississippian people (800- Our proposals are specific to this
1500 AD) developed a sophisticated bluff, the first safe landing below the
culture on these lands, one with an confluence of the Missouri, Illinois, and
inextricable connection to the river. They Mississippi rivers and adjacent to the
not only constructed the great mounds; vast lowlands known as the American
they flattened the naturally undulating Bottom. The Memorial’s architect, Eero
floodplain into an agricultural landscape. Saarinen, understood the importance
By adding maize to the products of of the setting, arguing for many years
traditional hunting and gathering in that the Memorial grounds needed to
the river woodlands, they fed a large provide a visual and physical connection
population. Later, the indigenous Plains from the city and the Old Courthouse
Indians gradually expanded this new under the Arch to the Mississippi River
culture across the prairie. After the and the fields beyond. Dan Kiley, the
Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804- landscape architect for the Memorial,
1806 opened up the possibility of tried unsuccessfully to create forests,
settlement and trade, the Great Plains ponds, and meadows to frame the
were transformed into the greatest food- Arch in a landscape representative of
producing region in the world. The Arch the American West. Both designers
was built to commemorate the launch of imagined that the Memorial would
Europeans across the plains, but it has extend across the river into East St.
the potential to become a much broader Louis. Our design proposals work
symbol of humanity’s engagement within these original design intents to
with nature through our ever-changing reinvigorate the physical setting and
technologies. story-telling power of the Memorial.

Competition Goals
Create an iconic place for the international icon, the Gateway Arch.
Catalyze increased vitality in the St. Louis region.
Honor the character–defining elements of the National Historic Landmark.
Weave connections and transitions from the City and the Arch grounds to the River.
Embrace the Mississippi River and the east bank in Illinois as an integral part of the National Park.
Tell the story of St. Louis as the gateway to national expansion.
Create attractors to promote extended visitation to the Arch, the City, and the River.
Mitigate the impact of transportation systems.
Develop a sustainable future.
Enhance the visitor experience and create a welcoming and accessible environment.
We have synthesized the ten competition goals above into our 2015 Program, a comprehensive list of the
physical modifications and the impacts each will have on the Memorial, the city, and the river. Every item in
the 2015 program is intended to be completed by October 28, 2015.
The 2015 program is organized into six focus areas:
CONNECT TO DOWNTOWN
REOPEN THE VISTA
RESTORE THE LANDSCAPE
ENGAGE THE RIVER
EXPAND THE MUSEUM
REIMAGINE THE EAST BANK

2015 Program
CONNECT TO DOWNTOWN
• Revise urban streets and highway interchanges to reduce traffic on Memorial Drive
• Narrow Memorial Drive and build a western entry plaza bridging Interstate 70
• Reorient visitor arrival by building parking garages beneath the Gateway Mall
• Draw visitors in and through the Old Courthouse with new exhibits and activities
REOPEN THE VISTA

• Lower the berm to reestablish sight lines to the river
• Frame the view with extensions of the historic allées and glass Museum entry pavilions
• Focus principal arrival and circulation along the allées within the view corridor
• Rebuild Gateway Mall to activate spaces between Citygarden and the Memorial

• Replant and repave historic allées
• Reverse deferred maintenance and repair park to contemporary, sustainable standards
• Bring complexity and ecological function to ponds and trails
• Plant prairie forest and native meadows to increase character and develop habitat value
• Expand visitor services, historic elements, and interpretive exhibits to extend visitation
ENGAGE THE RIVER

• Rebuild the Saarinen Stair in the catenary curve he intended
• Open river views by completing the tunneling of the railroad
• Create a great grassy bluff overlooking the river
• Simplify Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard to reveal the cobblestone levee
• Draw visitors and riverboat commerce to the waterfront
EXPAND THE MUSEUM

• Enlarge the below-grade space to accommodate new and expanded exhibits
• Rebrand the Museum of Western Expansion as the Museum of the American West
• Create a new exhibit to tell the story of the engineering of the Arch
• Build above-grade pavilions to house entry, information, food, security, and service
• Open skylights through the Museum roof to create new views of the Arch
• Incorporate galleries for rotating exhibits to extend visitation and draw repeat visitors

• Build a monumental earthen mound in visual dialogue with the Arch
• Transform Malcolm W. Martin Memorial into a new Center for Agriculture and Well-Being
• Develop experimental fields and greenhouses that exhibit healthy food production
• Regenerate native woodlands along the rail and road corridors
• Provide access across the river by water taxi and over a new promenade on Eads Bridge
• Create vehicular access from the east to connect with the Route 3 extension

01: CONNECT TO DOWNTOWN
We will emphasize ties between the
Arch and St. Louis, the thriving city
founded on the Memorial grounds and
lying behind the many meanings of the
Memorial. Visitors will arrive downtown,
leave their cars in new parking
structures underneath the Gateway
Mall, and follow the walk through the
Old Courthouse into the Memorial. We
will revise the surrounding urban streets
and freeway interchanges to redistribute
highway traffic downtown so that visitors
will cross a narrowed Memorial Drive
and enter the Memorial through a new
western entry plaza on top of Interstate
70.
The connection between the city and

the Memorial requires that the disruptive Existing: Recessed highway
impact of Memorial Drive and the
Interstate 70 (I-70) cut be minimized.
While they are both obstacles, it is the
designation and use of Memorial Drive
as the collector/distributor road feeding
traffic from I-44, I-55, and I-70 that
poses the most significant difficulty. We
propose the following modifications,
accomplishable by 2015, to reduce
traffic flows on Memorial Drive and
simplify the connection between the city
and the Memorial:
• Geometric improvements to the

I-55/4th/7th/Broadway interchange Existing: Memorial Drive Existing: Highway overpass
• Removal of the Martin Luther King Jr.
Bridge connection to Memorial Drive
• Removal of Memorial Drive adjoining
the Memorial north of Walnut Street
• Two-way revisions to Walnut, Market,
Chestnut, and Pine between 4th and
3rd Streets
• Two-way revision of 3rd Street from
Walnut to Pine
• Reversal of I-70/Washington ramps
• Disconnection of Washington from
Memorial
• Reconnection of 4th Street under I-70
to 3rd Street at the Martin Luther King
Jr. Bridge with reconnection of Lucas Existing: Highway barrier
to 2nd Street

2015 Regional Roadway Modifications: Adjustments to the regional transportation system reduce traffic flows on Memorial Drive
P P
P
I-70
GARAGE ENTRY RAMP

interstate
MEMORIAL DR
recesssed interstate
SERVICE WOODS
primary downtown circulator
P
enhanced downtown circulator
P
future primary downtown circulator
RESTAURANT
downtown access BUS
DROP-OFF
2015 downtown access

ELEVATOR
future downtown access
restored city grid
EXTENT OF FREEWAY CAP

P proposed parking (2015)
P future parking PARKING

LUTHER ELY SMITH MEMORIAL
ENTRY
SQUARE ENTRY
& EXIT
• Deck of roughly 600 feet over I-70

from south of Market to north of
Chestnut for Memorial entry plaza and BUS MUSEUM
Museum pavilion DROP-OFF ENTRY
• Relocation of bus drop-off to Market

and Chestnut where pedestrian/
GARAGE EXIT RAMP
WOODS
MEMORIAL DR
vehicle interfaces are minimized SERVICE WOODS
• A series of modest curbline,

intersection, and streetscape I-70
improvements that will enhance

pedestrian connectivity and comfort
while retaining full vehicular capacity

01: Connect to Downtown
Pedestrian Paths and Universal
Access Security
Shaded walks beneath extensions Visitors can also follow informal paths The existing bollards would remain and
of the historic allées run along the which lead from the entry plaza to the be enclosed within the new wooded
north and south sides of Keiner Plaza Old Cathedral and pass exhibits and landscape.
and Luther Ely Smith Square. These amenity kiosks as they wind through the
pedestrian routes organize visitors into woods and down to the pond’s edge. A new line of bollards would line Lenor
a continuous east-west procession K. Sullivan Boulevard running from the
from Citygarden, through the Old Visitors will descend the rebuilt Saarinen bases of the north to the south lookout
Courthouse, and into the Memorial. Stair or universally accessible paths stair.
Visitors arriving by automobile will that run down the bluff to arrive at the
emerge from underground parking levee. At the river’s edge across from The Center for Agriculture and Well-
garages. Those coming by bus will be the stairs, a water taxi will connect Being would be fenced with a six-foot
dropped off along Market and Chestnut across the river to a landing on the east transparent fence with gates to control
streets north and south of Luther Ely side with elevator access over the levee access.
Smith Square. wall and connecting into the spiral path
on the Mound. Visitors will have the
After crossing Memorial Drive, visitors option of descending to the greenhouse
will arrive at the western entry plaza exhibits and exhibition fields or climbing
framed by the Museum pavilions. The to the overlook at the top of the Mound.
walks beneath the allées will continue
into the Memorial and frame open to All new paths are universally accessible.
views to the river, to the Arch, and the Proposed elevators provide access to
overlooks. At the North Overlook, a new all levels of the Memorial.
pedestrian bridge could connect into an
historic restoration of the South Tower
of the Eads Bridge. Within the tower,
an elevator would provide a connection
between the Memorial, Laclede’s
Landing, the Levee, and the widened
pedestrian and bicycle promenade on
the upper level of the Eads Bridge.
After 2015, the allée walks will terminate
at new institutions at the north and
south cultural sites.

Pedestrian and bicycle circulation and amenities: New pedestrian and bicycle routes tie into the city grid and the regional greenway system.
P P P
primary pedestrian circulation

secondary pedestrian circulation
non-ADA compliant route
pedestrian priority intersections P
existing bike route
proposed bike routes
water taxi
proposed elevator connection
proposed park amenity
proposed exhibits
P proposed parking (2015)
P future parking
B bus parking (2015)
vehicular entry/exit
Visitors arriving by car or bus will now approach the Memorial and return to their vehicles within downtown St. Louis, stimulating shopping,
dining and entertainment. This will lead to the gradual redevelopment of ground floors to take advantage of the two million additional annual
visitors.

01: Connect to Downtown P
VALET ONLY
improved crosswalks
added pedestrian space
Downtown streets adjustments
By reconfiguring traffic movements to focus interstate access along the 4th and Broadway one-way couplet, streets
throughout downtown can be reconfigured enabling additional right-of-way to be dedicated to improving the pedestrian
experience and expanding open space. By enhancing the pedestrian environment, supplementing the street-tree canopy,
and articulating crosswalks at all intersections, synergy is created between the Arch grounds and downtown, resulting in an
active and dynamic pedestrian core.

reinvestment opportunities improved crosswalks
added pedestrian space
Laclede’s Landing streets
By converting 1st and 2nd streets to a one-way couplet that provides vehicular access to the existing parking garage within
the park, visitors will enter through Laclede’s Landing rather than bypassing this commercial area. The additional traffic
will increase revenue for the established businesses, while acting as a catalyst for reinvestment. The proposed roadway
modifications will create opportunities for additional outdoor café and dining areas, while enhanced intersections and re-
setting the cobble within the street will provide increased pedestrian connectivity and universal access.

I-70 above
il
bike tra
4th
EADS
Bridge
cafe space
estriaan
pedm de
pro en
gton
washin new
entry plaza
cafe space
I-70
I-70
exit
entr
y
I-70 above
existing buildings improved crosswalks
reinvestment opportunity added pedestrian space explore reinvestment /edge condition below interstate
Eads/Memorial/Washington Street
By disconnecting East Washington from Memorial Drive, a more conventional intersection is created enabling improved
pedestrian and vehicular connectivity between downtown and the northern end of the Arch grounds. The additional space
created by the proposed roadway changes can be used to create a more continuous pedestrian experience with a consistent
shade-producing tree canopy and expanded walks with enhanced materials.

1st: between Morgan & Lucas (looking south)
Existing Proposed
6’ 10’ 10’ 10’

15’ 20’ 10’ amenity drive drive ex
9’ zone north north
45’ walk
45’
ROW
ROW
2nd: between Morgan & Lucas (looking south)

Existing Proposed
10’ 6’ 10’ 10’ 8’ 6’

walk drive drive walk amenity
zone
8’ 28’ 14’ amenity south south
zone 50’
50’
ROW
ROW
Eads Bridge Section

Existing Proposed
east-bound east-bound west-bound west-bound

13’-lane 11’-lane 11’-lane 13’-lane 14’ ped east-bound west-bound 10’ bike
14’-lane 14’-lane
5’ designated
shared path
5’ 13’ 11’ 11’ 13’ 14’ 14’ 14’ 10’

pedestrian 2-way
54’ promenade bike trail
54’

Existing Proposed
Chestnut between 4th & Memorial (looking east) Chestnut between 4th & Memorial (looking east)
With proposed Bus Drop-Off

Proposed
Existing
Market between 4th & Memorial (looking east)
Market between 4th & Memorial (looking east)

With proposed Bus Drop-Off

Economic Benefits
Approximately two million people visit
currently visiting the Arch because
the Memorial every year. On average,
of a lack of diverse, changing
they plan to stay for 1 1/2 hours, but
programming. These visitors
actually stay for 2 1/2 hours or more.
currently contribute in excess of
Clearly, they plan their trip primarily to go
$4 billion to the regional economy,
to the top of the Arch, and are generally
but virtually none of that is related
unaware of the Museum of Westward
to the Arch. Diversion of even a
Expansion, the exhibits within the Old
small percentage of their spending
Courthouse, films, and other activities
to downtown could have a major
before they arrive at the Memorial.
impact on the vitality of the area
Roughly twenty-one million people
between the Arch and Citygarden.
visit St. Louis for leisure every year,
3. Most significant is the potential
including about 27,000 daily visitors
to grow visitation to St. Louis by
to downtown. That means that fewer
creating a regional and national
than ten percent of visitors to St. Louis
destination of real prominence. If a
visit the Memorial. The overwhelming
reprogrammed Arch is responsible
majority of people who come downtown
for a ten-percent growth in visitation
never go to the Arch, and most people
to the city, downtown can expect
who come to see the Arch do not
to see net new economic benefit in
spend additional time downtown.
excess of $400 million.
Changing this situation is the crux of the
economic opportunity.
These cumulative impacts will create
the conditions for significant new
Our design relocates parking and
ground-floor uses in buildings facing
the Museum entries to connect the
the Gateway Mall, along 4th, 5th, 6th,
Memorial directly into the Gateway Mall
and 7th Streets, and along Washington
and downtown. The two million Arch
Avenue into the heart of the loft district,
visitors will be introduced to downtown
as well as higher utilization rates for the
upon arrival and they will end their visit in
downtown hotel industry.
the heart of downtown. This sequence
creates three major economic
opportunities: GATEWAY MALL
OLD
COURTHOUSE
1. Current leisure visitors spend an
average of $85 per person per day.
MEMORIAL PARK
Those who stay the night spend an
additional $88 dollars on average KIENER PLAZA LUTHER ELY
for each hotel room. By increasing SMITH SQUARE
the number of Memorial visitors

who spend leisure time in the city,
our strategy will result in significant
new spending downtown. For
instance, if a quarter of Arch visitors
could be induced to stay the night,
or an additional night, spending
downtown would increase by $90
million.
2. There is also significant potential to
capture a portion of the spending
by visitors to St. Louis who are not

ENHANCED
DOWNTOWN
CIRCULATOR
PRIMARY
DOWNTOWN
CIRCULATOR
POTENTIAL SITES
FOR RETAIL
REDEVELOPMENT
RESTORED
CITY GRID
Economic development potential

We propose a phased redevelopment

of the north cultural site, in the location
of the existing parking garage. This
will begin the reactivation of this end
of the Memorial and the connection
to Laclede’s Landing during the time Future North
Parking
required to create a new cultural 100 Cars
institution and develop designs for the Existing
Parking
new facility.
As soon as the new parking structures

beneath the Gateway Mall are built, we
will reduce the capacity of the existing Bus
parking garage by eliminating parking on
the roof. (The stairs, elevator, and park Bus
Parking Parking
offices will remain.) We will cut back the 800 Cars 300 Cars
southern portions of the garage to make
room to reestablish the allée trees that Existing
Parking
were removed from the plan in order to
Bus
build the garage. After the allée trees
are replaced, the banks will be planted
with native grasses and woodland trees
Future Parking
to match the areas surrounding the 100 Cars
reconfigured ponds.
The exposed roof space will become

host to a new artist-in-residency
Vehicular arrival sequence: Primary parking relocated to Gateway Mall beneath Kiener Plaza
program for the Memorial. A lightweight and Luther Ely Smith Square
green-roof system might be added to
allow temporary planting of turf and wild
grasses. The temporary art exhibitions
EADS BRIDGE
would be a new attraction for visitors.
WASHINGTON AVE COBBLE PEDESTRIAN STREET
While the existing parking garage will

be demolished to make way for the Prairie Forest
new cultural facility, we anticipate that
Lawn
the new building will incorporate some Lightweight Public
Arts Pavilion
parking and parks offices.
Sculpture Garden
Slope
Parking for the Cathedral has been Existing Parking

Structure Native
moved to the Luther Ely Smith parking Grasses
pe
Slo
lot as it is mostly used only on Sunday.

The area will be reforested. Prairie Forest Prairie Forest
pe
Slo
Slo
Retain Existing
pe
Elevator Core
North Parking Lot plan

02: REOPEN THE VISTA
We will reopen the line of sight to the
Mississippi River, where many of the
Memorial’s meanings originate. Although
lost through various compromises
during construction, the vista from the
Old Courthouse through the Arch to the
river was one of the major organizing
principles of Eero Saarinen’s winning
site plan. With the highway covered,
the berm designed to screen it will
no longer be necessary. By lowering
this obstruction, we will open views Existing: Berm blocks view of river from Old Existing: Berm cuts off view of Old
eastward across Luther Ely Smith Courthouse Courthouse and downtown
Square through the Arch to the river
and beyond. A powerful visual link will
be made between the city and the
river. And looking back from within the
Memorial, visitors will be granted a clear
view back up to the Old Courthouse
steps and the city.
Existing: Southwest view of east bank and Memorial
Illustrative site section

Eero Saarinen’s 1947 winning competition entry with an open vista from the river to the Old Courthouse

02: Reopen the Vista
Allée extensions draw the Memorial and visitors into downtown

COMMERCIA
T
L
1ST STREE
COMMERCIA
CONVENTION PLAZA
T
2ND STREE
NORTH
T
3RD STREE
NORTH
NORTH 4TH STREET
NORTH
NORTH
LUCAS AVENUE
METROLINK
STATION
EADS BRIDGE CONNECTION

E
EADS BRIDG AND ELEVATOR
420 KIOSK
E 425 NORTH OVERLOOK

N AVENU 430
WASHINGTO 435
440
WASHINGTON AVENUE
445
FUTURE CULTURAL
470
EXHIBIT
FACILITY 450
465
RIVERBOATS
455
460
465
CAMPFIRE
CIRCLE
465
NORTH
POND
LOCUST STREET
460
BLUFF
445
SOUTH LEONOR K SULLIVAN BLVD
455
PRAIRIE KIOSK ALLEES

OLIVE STREET
FOREST
NORTH 6TH STREET
NORTH 7TH STREET
NORTH 8TH STREET
450
460
455
450
5
44
LEVEE
PINE STREET 445

INTERSTATE
NORTH 4TH STREET
MEMORIAL DRIVE
NORTH BROADWAY
70
OREGON TRAIL
MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST
MUSEUM
CHESNUT STREET RESTAURANT SKYLIGHTS
GATEWAY ONE
KIENER LUTHER ELY

B.S. 413.0
T.S. 444.0
Wave OLD SAARINEN WATER TAXI

Fountain COURTHOUSE
PLAZA SMITH SQUARE STAIRS
410
455
450
445
SPIRAL GARDEN
AMPHITHEATER
GATEWAY ONE
470
465
460
PLAZA
MUSEUM
MARKET STREET ENTRY
MEMORIAL DRIVE
SANTA FE TRAIL
INTERSTATE
OLD
70
CATHEDRAL
450 445
FRONTIER
VILLAGE
WALNUT STREET
450
450
NORTH 8TH STREET
445
445
ALLEES
455
SOUTH 4TH STREET
SOUTH BROADWAY
MEMORIAL DRIVE
HIGHWAY 44
55
PRAIRIE
HIGHWAY
SOUTH
POND BLUFF
FOREST
460
CLARK AVENUE
450
450
445
KIOSK
465
440
450
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

470
STADIUM
SPRUCE STREET
470
465
TIPIS CIRCLE
465
460
455
460
450
43
5
445
RIVERBOATS
440
435
EXHIBIT
FUTURE CULTURAL
FACILITY
0
43
SOUTH OVERLOOK
KIOSK
POPLAR
STREET
HIGHW
AY 64
HIGHWAY 70
CERRE STREET
Grading Plan

GE
G BRID
R KIN
IN L UTHE
MART
WAY
BROAD
WEST
RIDGE
EADS B
EADS BRIDGE CONNECTION AND ELEVATOR

NORTH OVERLOOK
WASHINGTON AVENUE FUTURE

CULTURAL
FACILITY EXHIBITS
PLANT FLOWERING TREES FROM PARK CASINO QUEEN
CAMP FIRE CIRCLE
CARGILL TRANSFER
BLUFF
STATION
PRAIRIE KIOSK
FOREST
NORTH
LEVEE
POND GATEWAY GEYSER
ALLEES FLAG POLES

LUTHER ELY
SMITH SQUARE
OREGON FRONT STREET
TRAIL
RESTAURANT WATER TAXI
GATEWAY GRAND STAIRS
ONE SPIRAL FARMER’S MARKET
WAVE GARDEN SKYLIGHTS EXPANDED MUSEUM PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE
CITY GARDEN FOUNTAIN AMPHITHEATER PARKING IN LAWN
OF THE AMERICAN WEST AND ELEVATOR
MUSUEM ENTRY THE MOUND
SANTA FE TRAIL THE CENTER FOR

OLD AGRICULTURE AND WELL-BEING
GATEWAY KIENER COURHOUSE OLD CATHEDRAL
ONE PLAZA PLAZA
ALLEES
WALNUT ST FRONTIER
VILLAGE
LEVEE
BLUFF
EDUCATIONAL
PRAIRIE
FOREST
GREEN HOUSES
CLARK AVE KIOSK
SOUTH RIVERBOATS
POND
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

STADIUM SPRUCE ST
TIPIS CIRCLE
PLANT FLOWERING TREES FROM PARK
FUTURE EXHIBITS 66
CULTURAL S.
U.
FACILITY IC
OR
ST
SOUTH OVERLOOK HI
HIGHWAY 70 POPLAR STREET BRIDGE
Illustrative Site Plan

MACARTHUR BRIDGE
Our proposal includes the renovation of two spaces within
the Gateway Mall that will incorporate below-grade parking
for the Memorial. Both spaces are framed with extensions of
the historic allées that tie into the restored allées within the
Memorial.
Keiner Plaza is designed as a transition and extension of

Citygarden, linked through One Gateway Plaza with perma-
nent artworks of civic scale. The west end will be defined
by a children’s fountain. Its shallow wave action will emerge
from a stone border and will be gentle enough for toddlers.
Towards the east, an outdoor green amphitheater will be built
in a gentle spiral, allowing universal access to each seat. The
Courthouse will form the backdrop for the theater. An 800-car Existing: Kiener Plaza theater
garage below-grade will be accessed by stairs and elevator,
with a café kiosk at the eastern entry.
N-BROADWAY
Existing: Kiener Plaza Fountain
GARAGE ENTRY RAMP CHESNUT ST

PARKING OR TAXI STAGING
ELEVATOR
KIOSK
AY ONE ART
7TH STREET
ART
BROADWAY
PARKING ENTRY
PARKING
OLD
ENTRY
WAVE SPIRAL
FOUNTAIN KIENER PLAZA THEATER
COURTHOUSE
KIOSK ART
ELEV.
ART
KIOSK

GARAGE ENTRY RAMP
ONE PLAZA MARKET ST
Kiener Plaza plan

PWP Landscape Architecture | Foster+Partners | Civitas
BUS DROP OFF ONLY

Luther Ely Smith Square will extend the Memorial lawn and
the historic allées into the city. Beneath the trees, shaded
walks will provide access to and from the Memorial. A 300-
car parking garage beneath the square will be accessed
through automobile access ramps parallel to Memorial Drive.
Pedestrian stairs and elevators will bring visitors up to street
level with a grand view of the Memorial to the east and the
Old Courthouse steps to the west.
OREGON
GARAGE ENTRY RAMP
I-70
N-4TH STREET
Existing: Luther Ely Smith Square

SERVICE
CHESNUT ST RESTAURANT
BUS DROP-OFF PAVILION
ELEVATOR
MEMORIAL DR
4TH STREET
OLD PARKING LUTHER ELY SMITH PARKING DROP- MUSEUM

ENTRY SQUARE ENTRY OFF SKYLIGHTS
COURTHOUSE
455
450
470
465
460
ELEVATOR
ARKING OR TAXI STAGING

BUS DROP-OFF MUSEUM ENTRY
MARKET ST PAVILION
SERVICE
GARAGE ENTRY RAMP
Luther Ely Smith Square: Allées and lawn continue along Gateway Mall from the Old Courthouse to the park framing the Arch and the river.
Glass pavilions extend the architectural framing over the highway cap and provide access to the new underground Museum.
MEMORIAL DR

PWP Landscape Architecture
OLD | Foster+Partners | Civitas 27FRONTIER
70
VILLAGE
CATHEDRAl
Kiener Plaza “Spiral Garden Amphitheater’ precedents at Swarthmore College
Keiner Plaza: Outdoor sculpture precedent at Nasher Sculpture Garden, Dallas Texas

Kiener Plaza ‘Wave fountain’ precedents, Jamison Square, Portland, Oregon

03: RESTORE THE LANDSCAPE
We will renovate the park with the goal
of restoring Dan Kiley’s original design
intent while addressing the physical
and horticultural challenges that have
limited the success of the landscape.
We will replant the historic allées with
columnar trees that will open views and
increase the drama and impact of the
Arch. Visitors will be able to explore
dense native woodlands, discover
clearings along the banks of ponds,
and experience wildlife supported by
the richer, more sustainable habitat.
In replacing the extensive turf with a
naturalized landscape we will limit water
use and improve water quality while
realizing Kiley’s vision of a park that
captures the mysterious character of the
untamed western lands.
Existing: Stagnating ponds
Existing: Sparse tree planting

Prairie Forest: Visitors are drawn to the restored Kiley ponds and enjoy food and drink from the nearby kiosk.
The Ponds
Kiley’s pond design was simplified during construction intent and replacing the failing mechanical systems. These
resulting in ponds that have little relationship to the mysterious improvements will also allow the ponds to be an amenity
spaces of the designer’s vision. They lack pedestrian access for visitors while also providing the ecological benefits of
as well as an edge treatment with character and texture. increased habitat and stormwater management.
We propose rebuilding Kiley’s ponds to his original design
Pond Edge: Irregular stone path in lawn Pond Edge: Saarinen/Kiley stone paving at Yale University

03: Restore the Landscape
The Historic Allée

The existing allées were modified
with the substitution of ‘Rosehill’ ash
for Kiley’s proposed tulip poplar. This
change greatly affected the scale of the
allée, both internally and in relationship
to the Arch. The upward vistas to the
Arch were never realized because the
ash, unlike the tulip poplar, is vase-
shaped. The trees are now reaching
the end of their lifespan and many have
been lost due to poor drainage. They
are also susceptible to the emerald ash
borer making the species an unsuitable
choice for a monoculture. We propose
returning to Kiley’s selection of the larger
and more columnar tulip poplars.
At the base of the allée trees, the
existing pebbled concrete and metal
tree grates are proving to be major
maintenance problems. We propose
rebuilding Kiley’s “levee” cobble design
at the base of the trees and repaving
the paths with stabilized decomposed
granite, a more flexible and easily
maintained material.
The existing allées are remarkable in two

respects:
1. The location and spacing of the

trees are exactly as Kiley intended.
2. The design is probably one of
the most sophisticated of his
career, which morphs along its
axis to create three distinct spatial
experiences.
Returning the species to columnar tulip

poplars will reveal the clarity and design
excellence of the allées, making them a
highpoint of the Memorial. One of Kiley’s
most important achievements will be
realized.
Existing Condition: Allée typologies

Existing Condition:
Allée typologies
OLD
COURTHOUSE
PRAIRIE FOREST PRAIRIE FOREST

B
B OREGON
TRAIL
S A N TA F E
TRAIL
FUTURE FUTURE
A
C U LT U R A L C U LT U R A L
FA C I L I T Y
A A MUSEUM OF THE
A
FA C I L I T Y
AMERICAN WEST
C BLUFF BLUFF C
SAARINEN
S TA I R S
Office of Dan Kiley,

final conceptual
planting plan, 1964,
approved by the
National Park Service
in February 1966

Allées: Kiley precedent at Sceaux, France Allées: Kiley rendering Allées: Existing ash planting
Allées: Kiley’s proposed Tulip poplars Allées of columnar Tulip poplars restore Kiley’s vision of framing the Arch with trees

The Prairie Forest
ARE
Throughout the competition, Kiley and

ARE
OFF
Y SMITH
OFF
Y SMITH
ELEVATOR
Saarinen proposed a dense planting
of native trees that would recall the
PARKING ENTRY
ELEVATOR GARAGE ENTRY RAMP
PARKING ENTRY
GARAGE ENTRY
MEMORIAL DR RAMP
MEMORIAL DR
DROP-OFF
untamed western lands. These trees,

DROP-OFF
SERVICE
SERVICE INTERSTATE 70 470
INTERSTATE 70 470
COBBL
RESTAURANT 460
underplanted with native grasses
COBBL
RESTAURANT 460
E PED
STREET
E PED
STREET
455
ESTRIA
455 465
instead of lawn, would have produced
ESTRIA
455 NATIVE FOREST NATIVE FOREST 465
N
455 NATIVE FOREST NATIVE FOREST
N
450
450
44
5
P R A I R I E F O R E S T
P R A I RNATIVEI MEADOW
E F O R E S T a landscape character distinct from
LUCAS AVE
44
5 GRASSES
LUCAS AVE
NATIVE MEADOW
GRASSES
the conventional and banal park
WASH
CAMPFIRE
plantings that were employed. We
EADS BR
WASH
CAMPFIRE
CIRCLE
EADS BR
CIRCLE
INGTO
450
INGTO
KIOSK
recommend a replanting over time of
IDGE
450 KIOSK
NORTH POND 445
N AVE
IDGE
NORTH POND 445
N AVE
more numerous, younger native trees.
OREGON TRAIL STONE
PAVING
MUSEUM
OREGON TRAIL STONE
PAVING
SKYLIGHTS
MUSEUM
SKYLIGHTS
445
445
Many of the existing trees, such as the
F U T U R E
C U L TF UU RT AU LR E
oaks and bald cypress, could fit into
460
F A C U
I LL I TT UY R A L
COBBL
465
465
455
460
A L L E E S
445
450
LAWN
455
460
F A C I L I T Y
COBBL
465
465
this more powerful scenario. In addition
455
A L L E E S
E PED
450
STREET
445
450
LAWN
455
460
E PED
450
STREET
445
ESTRIA
MUSEUM OF THE
445
AMERICAN WEST BENEATH
ESTRIA
440
MUSEUM OF THE
to improving the character of the park,
N
435
420
440
425
430
N
435
420
425
430
T.S. 444.0 B L U F F
T.S. 444.0
SAARINEN
STAIRS
B L U F F
EXHIBITS KIOSK the replacement of lawn with native
SAARINEN
grasses and of exotic tree species with

EXHIBITS KIOSK
STAIRS NORTH OVERLOOK

NORTH OVERLOOK
B.S. 413.0
B.S. 413.0
FLAGPOLES
SOUTH LEONOR K SULLIVAN BOULEVARD
SOUTH LEONOR K SULLIVAN BOULEVARD
CONNECTION TO
indigenous forest species will create
new habitat, reduce irrigation, and
EADS BRIDGE
FLAGPOLES CONNECTION TO
EADS BRIDGE
410
WEST LEVEE
410
WEST LEVEE
infiltrate a much higher percentage of
rainfall.
North Pond Plan 0 100' 200' 400'
0 100' 200' 400'
Prairie Forest precedent: Mown-grass path Prairie Forest precedent: Native woodland, Prairie Forest precedent: Tightly spaced
Illinois trees

Prairie Forest view: Mown-grass path and native woodland

Public Art Program
The Arch itself is one of the greatest
works of public art in the world. There is
no compelling need to site additional art
near the Arch. The inspirational power of
the Arch could, however, be leveraged
to increase activity in the park by
creating a temporary installation program
within the Memorial grounds.
We propose an artist-in-residency
program like those offered by the
National Park Service at parks around
the country. Residencies will range
in time from a few weeks to a year.
Artists will collaborate with the NPS to
create a series of temporary works in
the landscape. These installations will
mesh with the NPS goal of increasing
awareness of the unique qualities of
the park in a way that does not have
detrimental effects on the landscape.
In the initial phase of construction, the

temporary installation program would
be run on the upper level of the revised
north parking garage where space will
become available as parking is shifted
to the Gateway Mall.
Prairie Forest: Historic interpretation in the Campfire Circle

New Amenities in the Park

We propose additional park amenities:
1. Food and Information: Small kiosks Indians. bank development.

similar in size to those in New 3. Small historical markers throughout 8. New bike trails on both sides of
York City’s Bryant Park will provide the Memorial will designate the the river will be connected to the
coffee, light food, and soft drinks location of places of note in old St. existing greenway system.
as well as information. Located Louis. 9. Expanded NPS educational,
around the renovated ponds and 4. Outdoor displays of historical office, and storage facilities will
in each outlook, they might be interpretations, placed in glass and be placed incorporated into the
closed out-of-season and could steel cases, will give additional new Museum.
be franchised. information to visitors of the park.
2. New Exhibits Examples may include:
a. The north Baldcypress Circle will a. The history of Meriwether Lewis
be transformed into a campfire and William Clark, placed on
circle. Many children, residents their respective commemorative
as well as visitors will enjoy the outlooks
experience of singing songs or b. Interpretive information and data
listening to stories around the at the river’s edge
campfire. Such activities could c. Mississippian agricultural
be part of the NPS program. practices on the eastern river
b. To serve NPS programs, a bank
frontier village will be developed 5. Restroom facilities will be added at
just east of the Cathedral; it the park level.
could ideally be assembled 6. New elevators will be located
from real frontier structures throughout the Memorial to provide
or, failing that, from accurate universal access to all elevations of
reconstructions. the park.
c. Within the southern Baldcypress 7. A newly designed wayfinding
Circle an Indian village will system will be established
be assembled with real or throughout all of the Memorial
reconstructed tipis of Plains park, Luther Ely Smith Square and
Keiner Plaza, and the new east

Allées
Kiley
Abbreviation Common Names Scientific Names Total Quantities
Plants
Quantity % Planted
Fraxinus americana
RH Rosehill Ash 885 84%
‘Rosehill’
Tree Survey: Native Species Suitable Forest Planting

Kiley
Abbreviation Common Names Scientific Names Prarie Forest Future Museum Site Bluffs Total Quantities
Plants
% % % %
Quantity Quantity Quantity Quantity
Healthy Healthy Healthy Planted
BC Bald Cypress Taxodium distichum x 102 95% 15 100% 45 98% 162 96%
BN River Birch ‘Heritage’ Betula nigra ‘Heritage’ 39 100% 5 100% 13 100% 57 100%
BO Bur Oak Quercus macrocarpa 36 100% 5 100% 41 100%
FD Flowering Dogwood Cornus florida x 8 75% 1 100% 9 78%
PD Pagoda Dogwood Cornus alternifolia x 3 100% 3 100% 6 100%
RM Red Maple Acer rubrum 60 90% 10 70% 70 87%
RO Red Oak Quercus rubra x 17 100% 2 100% 19 100%
RP Red Pine Pinus resinosa 1 100% 1 100% 4 50% 6 67%
SW Swamp White Oak Quercus bicolor 51 94% 3 100% 4 100% 58 95%
Total 317 45 66 428

Existing native trees suitable for prairie forest
Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor) River Birch ‘Heritage’ (Betula nigra ‘Heritage’)
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) Red Oak (Quercus rubra) Red Pine (Pinus resinosa)
Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) Red Maple (Acer rubrum) River Birch ‘Heritage’ (Betula nigra ‘Heritage’)

Tree Survey: Exotic Species
Kiley
Abbreviation Common Names Scientific Names Prairie Forest Future Museum Site Bluffs Total Quantities
Plants
% % % %
Healthy Healthy Healthy Planted
Phellodendron
AC Amur Corktree 5 80% 5 80%
amurense
Pyrus calleryana
BP Bradford Pear 55 75% 21 86% 76 78%
‘Bradford’
GB Ginkgo Ginkgo biloba x 1 100% 1 100%
GL Greenspire Linden Tilia cordata ‘Greenspire’ 60 82% 13 77% 73 81%
Japanese Black
JB Pinus thunbergii 3 33% 4 50% 27 63% 34 59%
Pine
Japanese
JP Sophora japonica x 12 83% 5 60% 17 76%
Pagodatree
MG Southern Magnolia Magnolia grandiflora
MV Sweetbay Magnolia Magnolia virginiana 7 86% 7 86%
Pyrus calleryana
RS Redspire Pear 11 100% 3 67% 14 93%
‘Redspire’
ZS Zelkova Zelkova 4 100% 4 100%
DS Downy Serviceberry Melanchier arborea 1 100% 1 100%
SM Saucer Magnolia Magnolia soulangeana x 23 87% 23 87%
Total 174 47 34 255
Native Species Not Suitable For Forest Planting

Kiley
Abbreviation Common Names Scientific Names Prairie Forest Future Museum Site Bluffs Total Quantities
Plants
% % % %
Healthy Healthy Healthy Healthy
BG Black Gum Nyssa sylvatica 5 100% 5 100%
CR Robinson Crabapple Malus ‘Robinson’ 8 100% 24 100% 32 100%
HL Honey Locust Gleditsia triacanthos 67 72% 4 100% 71 73%
KC Kentucky Coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus 13 85% 2 50% 7 43% 22 68%
Marshall’s Seedless’ Fraxinus pennsylvanica
MA 16 6% 16 6%
Ash ‘Marshall Seedless’
PC Profusion Crabapple Malus ‘Profusion’
RB Eastern Redbud Cercis canadensis x 86 91% 14 86% 52 77% 152 86%
RC Radiant Crabapple Malus ‘Radiant’ 30 80% 22 50% 1 100% 53 68%
SD Snowdrift Crabapple Malus ‘Snowdrift’ 56 84% 2 50% 7 43% 65 78%
SG Sweet Gum Liquidambar styraciflua
SH Sugar Hackberry Celtis laevigata 20 100% 1 100% 21 100%
SM Sugar Maple Acer saccharum 23 87% 23 87%
Washington
WH Crataegus phaenopyrum x 46 74% 46 74%
Hawthorn
Total 349 69 88 506

04: ENGAGE THE RIVER
Along the riverfront, we will rebuild the large-scale events as well as a place dense plantings that did not appear in
Saarinen Stair in the graceful catenary where people can come for less-formal earlier schemes and visually separated
curve he intended. We will extend the interactions with the river. The waterfront the Arch from the river. The view was
connection to the river for the full length will transform the Memorial by grounding the only element large enough to
of the Memorial by building a great visitor experience in the ecological and compose the Arch in the grand scale of
grassy bluff that bridges the railroad physical dynamism of the river. its surroundings. The Saarinen railroad
and reopens views of the river. We will walls are designated as historically-
simplify Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard The most significant compromise for contributing elements of the Memorial
to reveal the historic character of the Saarinen and Kiley during the design despite the fact that they were a
cobblestone levee. Riverboats will process was the final alignment of the compromise Saarinen never wanted to
line the waterfront and provide food railroad tracks, leading Saarinen to make. Our proposal to fully cover the
and entertainment, while recreating a move the Arch to the top of the bluff. railroad will allow the grand scale of the
bustling commercial atmosphere. This Both Saarinen and Kiley attempted Memorial to be matched by the grand
major new civic space for St. Louis to screen the deep railroad cuts from scale of the river while creating a new
will become an important venue for visitors’ view with mounded earth and civic space at the waterfront.
Existing: Rail cut and tunnel Existing: Planting on Bluff
Existing: Limited view from allée to river in summer Existing: Limited view from allée to river in winter

The river, bluffs, and Eads Bridge from the allée
We will simplify the levee by removing

BLUFF
unnecessary street furniture and

LEVEE
PARK
planting. The levee cobblestone

that runs along the water’s edge will
be used to pave Leonor K. Sullivan
Boulevard, calming traffic and bringing
the sound and feel of this rich, historic
material to visitors’ attention. This unified GRAND
STAIRS
MISSISSIPPI THE
RIVER MOUND
levee space will become part of the
composition of the grassy bluff and the
Saarinen Stair above. Sidewalks on
either side of the cobbled street, along
with universally accessible surface for
crossing, will allow pedestrians and bike
traffic to move comfortably thorough the
space.

04: Engage the River
Daytime view of the bluff from the South Overlook: The bluff will bring the entire riverfront composition into harmony and scale with the Arch
and the curving forms of the Memorial.
At the river, historic and commercial

boats will line the length of the
levee from bridge to bridge.
The boats will provide food and
entertainment while giving visitors
a sense of the historic commercial
atmosphere.
Riverboats on the waterfront, 1911

Nightime view of the bluff from South Overlook: The bluff will create a space that can receive visitors in small groups or in festival numbers.
Unloading cargo onto the St. Louis levee

The Saarinen Stair was modified from

its original design into a conventional
monumental stair. These modifications
do not gracefully connect the
allée to the path system and are
not sympathetic with the catenary
curving style that Saarinen employed
throughout the Memorial.
Existing: Deteriorating condition of Grand Staircase
Existing: Grand Staircase with conventional detailing
Saarinen’s Stair sweeping up from the riverfront in a graceful catenary curve

The Saarinen Stair
We have three approaches for the
implementation of the Saarinen Stair
that could satisfy contemporary building
codes:
Option 1
A curved catenary-based stair, exactly
as Saarinen had proposed.
Slope Beyond 15%

33%
33%
33%
+444 33%
15%
Perspective
+413
Rail Tunnel Monumental Stairs
0 5' 10' 20'
Slope Beyond 33%
25%
+444
12%
section 0 5' 10' 20'

MoNUMeNtal stairs i option 1 PWP Landscape Architecture | Foster+Partners | Civitas 47
Option 2
A variation on a typical monumental
stair that provides a more elegant
profile and scale than the existing
stair
Perspective
Slope Beyond 15%

33%
33%
33%
+444 33%
15%
+413
section 0 5' 10' 20'
MoNUMeNtal stairs i option 2

Slope Beyond 33%
25%
+444
12%
33%
+444 33%
15%
+413
Option 3
0 5' 10' 20'
A stair and amphitheater combining
the catenary profile with a
conventional stadium stair.
Slope Beyond 33%
25%
+444
12%
Perspective
0 5' 10' 20'
Slope Beyond 33%
25%
12%
section 0 5' 10' 20'
MoNUMeNtal stairs i option 3

05: EXPAND THE MUSEUM
Preface: A Historical Review
By James Ronda
Thomas Jefferson always had a way motion and explain it to Americans Think of St. Louis as a year-long
with words. He used them to define the who now experience motion by way rendezvous – a place where people
present and shape the future. Words of automobiles and jet aircraft? For a and goods came from all directions,
could express the significance of a long time the image of a gateway has mixed for a while, and then headed
place. When Jefferson thought about been a useful metaphor. But that image into the West of St. Louis. To put a
the West – perhaps even the West to has its limitation – people, goods, and human face on all of this, consider the
the very shores of the Pacific – he gave information pass through a gateway journeys of: African-American mountain
St. Louis pride of place. Writing just two on the way to the Great Elsewhere. man James P. Beckwourth, who grew
years after the Louisiana Purchase, the But St. Louis was always more than a up in St. Louis and came of age in the
president described St. Louis as “the gate on the western fence. St. Louis as West of St. Louis; Mandan headman
center of our western operations.” What a gateway does not do justice to the Sheheke-shote and his family, coming
a compelling line to use when thinking larger significance of the city’s influence down the Missouri in 1806 and on their
about a new museum and renewed in the life of the West and the nation. way to Washington, D.C., to explore
park in St. Louis about the wider West. As we think about a new museum the mysterious East; Don Antonio Jose
and renewed park, we might consider Chavez, robbed and murdered in 1843
“St. Louis” always meant more than a another word, another image, another on the Santa Fe Trail while heading to
single place bounded by city limits. The historical experience tied to the life and St. Louis; the adventuresome Susan
West of St. Louis was more a matter times of St. Louis. Shelby Magoffin, an 18-year-old bride
of influence than geography. St. Louis on her honeymoon traveling the Santa
reached up the Missouri to the Mandan By the end of the 1820s, the word Fe Trail in “the Year of Decision” – 1846;
and Hidatsa villages and beyond to “rendezvous” could be heard whenever Lewis H. Garrard, taking a teenage
the Head of Navigation at Fort Benton. folks in St. Louis gathered to talk about wanderjahr on the same trail the same
The draw of St. Louis could be felt the West. Almost everyone knew that year; and countless overlanders bound
at Independence and Westport – the the annual rendezvous west of the for new lives in Oregon or the fabled
“jumping off places” for the Oregon- Rockies was a fixture in the fur trade. riches of Gold Rush California. With all
California Trail and the Sante Fe Trail. And to talk about the fur trade was to of these voyagers, we see the wider
St. Louis’s market place included Bent’s talk about St. Louis. Soon enough, the West – the West of St. Louis.
Fort on the Arkansas and Fort Union word came to describe the “forming up”
on the upper Missouri. From Jefferson of wagons heading out on the Oregon- The history of the American West is
Barracks St. Louis marched into the California Trail or bound for Santa Fe. all about the confluence of peoples
west by way of Fort Leavenworth, Fort In the fur trade, the rendezvous was and cultures. That history can be
Kearney, and Fort Gibson. And St. that boisterous gathering of trappers, seen in the confluence of rivers – the
Louis played its part in Indian Removal traders, and Indians – people from all Mississippi, the Missouri, and the Illinois.
and Native American politics in capitals directions converging at a place in the These are the rivers that set St. Louis in
like Talahquah and Muskogee. The Green River country. St. Louis doctor one place and not another. It was this
West of St. Louis also ran east to the F. A. Wislizenus caught something of confluence that captured Jefferson’s
halls of power in Washington, D.C., the spirit and significance of this grand attention when he knew St. Louis would
and the counting houses of New York concourse in the mountains. People be the center for the new nation’s
and London. In the first half of the 19th from everywhere come to “this fair of the western operations. Rendezvous is all
century, the West of St. Louis was the wilderness to buy and to sell, to renew about convergence and confluence.
American West. old contracts and make new ones, to Where better to establish a museum
make arrangements for future meetings, that explores this most American of
In 1843 a newspaper journalist to meet old friends, to tell of adventures experiences than in the rendezvous
wrote that Americans were a people they had been through, and to spend itself – St. Louis?
“in motion.” St. Louis was all about for once a jolly day.”
motion. How can we envision that

05: Expand the Museum
We will transform the existing Museum Skylights will open through the roof to be a sensitive, timeless addition, posing
into an experience that truly celebrates create a kinetic sequence of previously minimum impact to the topography
the Arch as it tells the story of the impossible views of the Arch. Visitors while delivering maximum impact to the
American West. Visitors will enter will arrive at the Grand Hall, a dramatic experience.
through a set of glass pavilions space directly underneath the Arch,
anchoring the new western entry plaza. with cafes, shops, and restaurants The existing Museum of Westward
As they descend into the subterranean and an exhibition focused on the Arch. Expansion was designed and
space, the Museum will open up in front The Museum of Westward Expansion completed after Saarinen’s death.
of them, viewed from a ramp sailing will be rebranded as the Museum of The central column area and ramped
through the new space. Above will be the American West and occupy the entrances are the remaining elements
long-span concrete shell vaults, the main body of the building. Completely of the original building. The design team
structure echoing Saarinen’s vocabulary. referential to the Arch, the Museum will studied the reuse of these elements,
Existing: Museum exterior Existing: Museum entry ramp
Existing: Visitor center Existing: Museum security

View of expanded below-grade Museum with skylights opening to the Arch above
View of mezzanine bridge with exhibition space below

View from the Old Courthouse through the Arch to the river with the Mound in the distance. Musuem pavillions frame a new plaza at the
western etnry to the Memorial
Pedestrian Entry to Garage Kiosk
+ 470
+ 458
Section through underground parking access
View of visitors exiting underground parking into the Memorial

Below-grade view of the
Arch through skylight
above the Grand Hall
Skylight at the
British Museum

FLAGP
05: Expand the Museum 445
but discovered that the current sectional OREGON TRAIL
GARAGE ENTRY RAMP

depth of the Museum could neither
I-70
completely fulfill the needs of a major
SERVICE
contemporary museum nor create a
space large enough to balance the
RESTAURANT
PAVILION
VISITOR CENTER BENEATH

scale of the Arch. The team decided
to lower the Museum floor to gain the
LUTHER ELY SMITH
SKYLIGHTS
DROP-OFF
WEST LEVEE
B.S. 413.0
T.S. 444.0
SQUARE
WATER
TAXI
additional height for a truly dramatic
GRAND STAIRS
410
455
450
445
space that would attract the citizens of
465
460
St. Louis as well as visitors from around MUSEUM ENTRY
the world.
PAVILION
SERVICE
GARAGE ENTRY RAMP
MEMORIAL DR
Saarinen’s vision of a singular vista on

I-70
the east-west axis connecting the city,

FRONTIER
Arch, and river will be reinforced by
OLD
CATHEDRAl VILLAGE
moving the entrance of the Museum to 450 445
the west, emphasizing the central spine

between the city and the Memorial. The Park-level Museum plan with pavilions and skylights
entrance pavilions, now close to the
parking, will become a focus of activity
EXHIBITS BELOW
with ticket sales, cafes, shops, and
bars animating the grade at a human RAMP THROUGH MUSEUM
scale while enforcing the symmetry,
accentuating the axis, and providing
a formal gatehouse-like entrance to
the Memorial. They will also provide a
welcome acoustic shield from highway
traffic.
The pavilions will solve the access and

service requirements for the Museum,
making the existing service points
available for the park landscape. The
northern pavilion—with a full-service
restaurant—will act as the western exit Mezzanine-level Museum plan
from the Museum while the southern
pavilion will house the main Museum
entrance. Visitors will still have the
option of exiting directly at the base of MUSEUM EXHIBITS AND
the Arch. The Museum will incorporate SPECIAL EVENTS
universal accessibility throughout.
All security will be handled underground, GREAT HALL

so that once visitors have received their
tickets, they are free to go directly to RESTAURANT
the Museum or move about the park
enjoying the other attractions. This ARCH EXHIBITS
creates a better flow of people through
the Museum and limits queuing.
Lower-level Museum plan

South North
North-south section through the Museum
South North
North-south section through the Grand Hall
West East
East-west section through expanded Museum

The views of the Arch from within the

Museum will give the underground
space an identity of its own. The
space will encourage a variety of
visitor experiences, including different
routes for brief stops and lengthy visits.
Specific education facilities for children
will sit alongside interactive exhibitions,
shops, cafes, and restaurants. New
spaces will allow for rotating exhibits
to attract repeat visitors and increase
overall visitation, while the revitalized
Grand Hall will become a venue for
special events.
The proposed skylights will sit in

the great lawn under the Arch as an
expression of the structural arches
below. Viewed from both above and
below they will be especially dramatic
at night, the primary skylight, directly View of Museum pavilions and western entry plaza
under the Arch, offering a particularly
sensational sight.
Interior view of Arch tram

Exhibition
In addition to the expanded Museum, Like the 134-year-old Morrow plots
we are proposing locations throughout at the University of Illinois at Urbana-
the Memorial for interpretive displays. Champaign, the research fields can
We will update the exhibitions in the be used as ongoing demonstrations of
Old Courthouse to reinvigorate the civil crop-rotation, fertilization, and irrigation
rights narrative and explore new means techniques.
for presenting the historic Dred-Scott
courtroom. Exhibits within the park are described
in detail in Chapter 4 Restore the
At the Center for Agriculture and Well- Landscape.
Being greenhouse exhibitions will explain
the development of seeds, methods
of large-scale healthy food production
and distribution, as well as the science
behind modern, plant-based medicines.
Skylight precedent Educational tours Historic films and education
Interactive programing Skylight and mezzanine Performance and events

06: REIMAGINE THE EAST BANK
On the east bank of the Mississippi, we
will transform the Malcolm W. Martin
Memorial Park into a composition
reflecting the long human history of
engineering the Great Plains into a
vast agricultural landscape. We will
add a monumental earthen mound,
agricultural fields, and greenhouses to
the existing grain-storage, flood-control,
and transportation systems to compose
the eastern view from St. Louis and
draw visitors across the river. The
Center for Agriculture and Well-Being
will bring together international leaders
of agricultural, plant, and life sciences
to create working research gardens
(modeled on the famous Morrow Plots)
that explore the human relationship to
the plains as both environment and
productive landscape.
Visitors will explore the development

of plants as food and medicine for a Existing: Trendley Avenue
growing global population in a changing
climate. The Center will provide training
and educational opportunities in the
technological and communication skills
that are the bedrock of twenty-first-
century agriculture. A farmers’ market
will bring healthy food to East St. Louis.
Sixty-five-feet high, the Mound will
reward visitors with spectacular views of
the Arch and the region it celebrates.
Existing: East bank, Cargill

Artist’s rendering of Cahokia Mounds, Illinois
Agricultural-science fields, Morrow Plots, University of Illinois

06: Reimagine the East Bank
View above the Center for Agriculture and Well-Being, looking west to the Arch
Memorial visitors will arrive by a water

taxi that connects to the Mound via a
universally-accessible walkway over the
railroad. The water-taxi landings will be
anchored by gangways and function
at all river stages. The location and
design of the landing will conform to
Coast Guard and Corps of Engineers
requirements.
Access from East St. Louis will be

reoriented to West Trendley Avenue. We
look forward to exploring the potential
of the proposed Route 3 extension to
reinforce this important connection.

Greenhouses

06: Reimagine the East Bank
Agricultural fields

Agricultural-science Fields: View of a children’s workshop in the fields with the Mound and Cargill beyond

07: ANTICIPATE THE FUTURE
Our plan anticipates that the Memorial 1. The St. Louis Jazz & Blues 3. The Museum of the American
will continue to expand and integrate Experience would celebrate the Mind would be a participatory
into its surroundings in the future. We artistic achievements of St. Louis “idea museum” exploring American
have identified two sites at the north jazz and blues, commemorate spirit past, present, and future in
and south ends of the Memorial where the work of composers and all its changing aspects. Displays
new institutions could be created to performers, and reveal the social would feature selections from the
elaborate specific components of context and cultural significance collections of other institutions
the Memorial’s narrative and link into on a national and international across the country. These could
Laclede’s and Chouteau’s landings. level. The Experience would be a include selections from Smithsonian
We propose a new connector south of center of discovery and exploration, collections and the Pulitzer prizes.
the city at 4th and Broadway to redirect moving beyond the traditional There will be a special focus
traffic more smoothly into downtown. museum to engage the visitor in a on American democracy in an
We also imagine the lush tree planting of highly participatory experience. It interactive exhibit enabling visitors to
the Memorial extending as street trees would create new ways to explore participate in real-time debates on
into downtown St. Louis on streets that the unique relationship between important public issues.
lie on the alignment of the Oregon and the music of blues and jazz and
Santa Fe trails. its audiences. Finally, the St.
Louis Jazz & Blues Experience
Our team has researched several ideas would demonstrate the different
for new cultural institutions that could musical forms, styles, and creative
expand the mission of the Memorial. potentials of blues and jazz — and
Given the in-depth process that will be explore their influences on other
required to develop new institutions forms of popular music.
within the existing cultural community, 2. The American Rivers Center
we have included the following program would establish a comprehensive
concepts only as potential alternatives. narrative of the relationship
between our nation’s great
rivers and watersheds and it’s
development and urbanization.
Displays would feature these vast
natural systems, the heroic feats of
human engineering developed to
manage them, and the challenges
inherent in attempting to control
their movement. Temporary exhibits
would investigate significant floods,
such as the recent catastrophe
in New Orleans, or exhibit historic
mapping projects.

08: APPENDIX A
COMPETITION BOARDS (REDUCED)
The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is poised to expand into the twenty-�rst century. The At the historical and geographic center of the Great Plains St. Louis has been pivotal in the growth
Arch itself symbolizes the courage and optimism of those pioneers and entrepreneurs who opened of our national psyche, from the development of Mississippian agriculture to European and African-
the West. But the story of human expansion began much earlier and continues today. Our design American settlement to the crisis of slavery to the creation of a unique Heartland civilization. The
will help the Memorial tell much more about this expansion while it inspires visitors to think about Memorial site holds within it stories of this diverse and forward-looking human development.
the future ecological and cultural development of the West. Our design proposals suggest a broadening of expression and interpretation that will enable the
Memorial to tell more of the stories that root the American experience in the land.
The �at �elds of Illinois are not a natural creation. Rather, we see in them a human intervention
that has taken shape over more than a thousand years. The Mississippian people (800-1500 AD) Our proposals are speci�c to this bluff, the �rst safe landing below the con�uence of the Missouri,
developed a sophisticated culture on these lands, one with an inextricable connection to the river. Illinois, and Mississippi rivers and adjacent to the vast lowlands known as the American Bottom.
They not only constructed the great mounds; they �attened the naturally undulating �oodplain into The Memorial’s architect, Eero Saarinen, understood the importance of the setting, arguing for
an agricultural landscape. By adding maize to the products of traditional hunting and gathering many years that the Memorial grounds needed to provide a visual and physical connection from
in the river woodlands, they fed a large population. Later, the indigenous Plains Indians gradually the city and the Old Courthouse under the Arch to the Mississippi River and the �elds beyond.
expanded this new culture across the prairie. After the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804-1806 Dan Kiley, the landscape architect for the Memorial, tried unsuccessfully to create forests, ponds,
opened up the possibility of settlement and trade, the Great Plains were transformed into the and meadows to frame the Arch in a landscape representative of the American West. Both
greatest food-producing region in the world. The Arch was built to commemorate the launch designers imagined that the Memorial would extend across the river into East St. Louis. Our
of Europeans across the plains, but it has the potential to become a much broader symbol of design proposals work within these original design intents to reinvigorate the physical setting and
humanity’s engagement with nature through our ever-changing technologies. story-telling power of the Memorial.
CONNECT TO DOWNTOWN
Revise urban streets and highway interchanges to
reduce traf�c on Memorial Drive
Narrow Memorial Drive and build a western entry plaza
bridging Interstate 70
Reorient visitor arrival by building parking garages

beneath the Gateway Mall
Rebuild Kiener Plaza and Luther Ely Smith Square
Draw visitors in and through the Old Courthouse with

new exhibits and activities
OPEN THE VISTA

Lower the berm to reestablish sight lines to the river
Frame the view with extensions of the historic allées

and glass Museum entry pavilions
Focus principal arrival and circulation along the allées
within the view corridor
Rebuild Gateway Mall to activate space between
Citygarden and the Memorial

Replant and repave historic allées
Reverse deferred maintenance and repair park to
contemporary and sustainable standards
Bring complexity and ecological function to ponds and

trails
Plant prairie forest and native meadows to increase
character and develop habitat value
Expand visitor services, historic elements, and
interpretive exhibits to extend visitation
ENGAGE THE RIVER

Rebuild the Saarinen Stair in the catenary curve he
intended
Open river views by completing the tunneling of the
railroad
Create a great grassy bluff overlooking the river

Simplify Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard to reveal the
cobblestone levee
Draw visitors and riverboat commerce to the

waterfront
EXPAND THE MUSEUM

Enlarge the below-grade space to accommodate new
and expanded exhibits
Rebrand Museum of Western Expansion as Museum of
the American West
Create a new exhibit to tell the story of the engineering
of the Arch
Build above-grade pavilions to house entry, information,

food, security, and service
Open skylights through the Museum roof to create new
views of the Arch
Incorporate galleries for rotating exhibits to extend
visitation and draw repeat visitors

Build a monumental earthen mound in visual dialogue
with the Arch
Transform Malcolm W. Martin Memorial into a new

Center for Agriculture and Well-Being
Develop experimental �elds and greenhouses that
exhibit healthy food production
Regenerate native woodlands along the rail and road

corridors
Provide access across the river by water taxi and over

a new promenade on Eads Bridge
Create vehicular access from the east to connect with

the future Route 3 extension
ANTICIPATE THE FUTURE

Provide locations for future cultural expansion
Build new highway interchange to improve vehicular

access into downtown
Extend tree planting into St. Louis along the routes of
Santa Fe and Oregon trails

PWP Landscape Architecture | Foster + Partners | Civitas
CONNECT TO DOWNTOWN
We will extend the Memorial into downtown St. Louis with
I-70 WEST
a great lawn that sweeps up to the Old Courthouse steps,
reconnecting Arch visitors to the city that was founded on the I-70 EAST
Memorial grounds and is embedded within the many meanings (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)
of the Memorial. Visitors will arrive downtown, leave their cars in

new parking structures beneath the Gateway Mall, and walk into
the Memorial directly or by way of the Old Courthouse. We will
modify the surrounding urban streets and highway interchanges
to redistribute trafﬁc downtown, allowing Memorial Drive to be
narrowed to provide comfortable crossings. Visitors will enter the
Memorial through a new western entry plaza on top of Interstate
70 full of activity generated by the Museum pavilions ﬂanking
the space. BID DLE
CA RR
COLE ID GE
KI NG BR
RT IN LU TH ER
DR . MA
I- 55
, I- 64 , AY
TO : I- 70 WE ST BR OA DW
IDG E
EA DS BR
WASHINGTON W
ES
T
E x i s t i ng: Recessed h i g h w a y E x i s t i n g : M e m o r i al Drive P BR
OA
DW
FRO NT
AY
TUCKER
11TH
10TH
9TH
8TH
7TH
6TH
5TH
4TH
OLIVE
PINE
N
AI
CHESTNUT
M
MARKET P P TR
EN
WALNUT
P DL
EY
BROADW AY
CLARK
E x i s t i ng: Highway bar r i e r E x i s t i n g : H i g h w a y overpass
4TH
P
POPLA R BRIDG E
TO: I-70 , I-65 , I-55
F U T U RE Existing Interstate
PA R K I NG
1 0 0 C ARS
2015 Tunneled Interstate
EXISTING
PARKING
Existing Downtown Circulator

I-70
GARAGE ENTRY RAMP

2015 Enhanced Downtown Circulator
MEMORIAL DR
SERVICE WOODS
BUS
Future Downtown Circulator
Bus
PAR K I N G PA R K I N G BUS RESTAURANT
800 C A R S 300 CARS Existing Downtown Access DROP-OFF
ELEVATOR
EXISTING
PARKING 2015 Enhanced Downtown Access
BUS
EXTENT OF CAP
PARKING
LUTHER ELY SMITH MEMORIAL
ENTRY
SQUARE ENTRY
Future Downtown Access & EXIT
F U T URE
PA R KING 2015 Restored City Grid
1 0 0 CARS
BUS
P 2015 Parking MUSEUM

DROP-OFF ENTRY
GARAGE EXIT RAMP

P Future Parking WOODS
MEMORIAL DR
SERVICE WOODS
Note: Cathedral Parking re l o c a t e d t o

Luther Ely Smith Square
I-70
Ve h i c ular arrival seq u e n c e : P r i m a r y p a r k i n g r e l o c ated to the 2015 Regional Roadway Modification s : A d j u s t m e n t s t o t h e r e g i o n a l t r a n s p o r t a t i o n s y s t e m r e d u c e t r a f f i c f l o w s o n M e m o r i a l D r i v e .

G a t e w ay Mall beneath K i e n e r P l a z a a n d L u t h e r E l y Smith Square
POTENTIAL SITES FOR

RETAIL REDEVELOPMENT
E c o n o mic developmen t p o t e n t i a l B
P P P
Tw o million annual A rc h v i s i t o r s w i l l b e i n t roduced to
downtown as soon as they arrive at the much-improved B
p a r k and Museum ; t h e y w i l l f i n d t h e r i v e r and travel
t o t h e expanded M e m o r i a l i n E a s t S t . L o u i s; and they WATER TAXI
w i l l e nd their visit i n t h e h e a r t o f d o w n t o w n, creating

t h e c onditions for s i g n i f i c a n t n e w g ro u n d -floor uses
B
i n b u i ldings facing t h e G a t e w a y M a l l , a l o n g 4th, 5th,
6 t h , and 7th Stree t s , a n d a l o n g Wa s h i n g ton Avenue Primary Pedestrian Circulation
i n t o t he heart of t h e l o f t d i s t r i c t , a s w e l l as higher Secondary Pedestrian Circulation

u t i l i z ation rates f o r t h e d o w n t o w n h o t e l industry.
Stairways
Pedestrian Priority Intersections
Existing Bike Route
Proposed Bike Route

P
Proposed Water Taxi
Proposed Elevator
OLD
C O U RTHOUSE
Proposed Park Ammenity
MEMORIAL PA R K
Proposed Historic Interpretation
KIEN E R P L A Z A LUTHER ELY

SMITH SQUARE P 2015 Parking
G a t e way Mall P Future Parking
B Bus Drop-Off
Vehicular Parking Access

N
Pedestrian and bicycle circulation an d a m e n i t i e s : N e w p e d e s t r i a n a n d b i c y c l e r o u t e s t i e i n t o t h e c i t y g r i d a n d t h e r e g i o n a l g r e e n w a y s y s t e m .

REOPEN THE VISTA
We will reopen Eero Saarinen’s vista to the Mississippi River,
where many of the Memorial’s meanings originate. Although
lost through various compromises during construction, the view
from the Old Courthouse through the Arch to the river was one
of the major organizing principles of Saarinen’s winning site plan.
With the highway covered, the berm designed to screen it will
E
BRIDG
KING
LU THER
RTIN
no longer be necessary. By lowering this obstruction, we will DR. MA
open views eastward across Luther Ely Smith Square through

the Arch to the river and beyond. A powerful visual link will be
made between the city and the river. We will extend the tulip
poplar allées to frame the iconic new views. Looking back from LACLEDE LANDING
BOULEVARD
within the Memorial, visitors will have a clear vista back up to the
Old Courthouse and into the activity within the city.
ET
STREET
MORGAN
IAL STRE
ST IAL
ET
COMMERC
1ST STRE
COMMERC
CONVENTION PLAZA
ET
2ND STRE
NORTH
ET
NORTH
3RD STRE
NORTH 4TH STREET
NORTH
IDG E
EADS BR
NORTH
E
LUCAS AVENU
METROLINK
STATION
EADS BRIDGE CONNECTION

GE AND ELEVATOR
EADS BRID
420 KIOSK
UE
425 NORTH OVERLOOK
TON AVEN 430
WASHING 435
440
WASHINGTON AVENUE
Existing : Ber m b lo cks v i e w o f E x i s t i n g : B e r m c uts off view to FUTURE CULTURAL
445
470
river from t he Old C o u r t h o u s e O l d C o u r t h o u s e a nd downtown WASHINGTON AVENUE
FACILITY 450 EXHIBIT
465
RIVERBOATS
455
460
465
CAMPFIRE
CIRCLE
465
NORTH
POND
LOCUST STREET LOCUST STREET
460
BLUFF
445

455
PRAIRIE KIOSK ALLEES

OLIVE STREET OLIVE STREET
FOREST
NORTH 6TH STREET

NORTH 10TH STREET
NORTH 7TH STREET

NORTH 9TH STREET
NORTH 8TH STREET

450
460
455
450
5
44
LEVEE
PINE STREET 445

PINE STREET
INTERSTATE
OREGON
NORTH 4TH STREET
MEMORIAL DRIVE
NORTH BROADWAY
TRAIL
70
Existing : S o ut hw es t v i e w o f e a s t b a n k a n d M e m o r i al M I S S I S S I P P I R I V
MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST

MUSEUM
CHESNUT STREET RESTAURANT SKYLIGHTS
CHESNUT STREET
RESTAURANT
GATEWAY ONE
KIENER LUTHER ELY
B.S. 413.0
T.S. 444.0
Wave OLD SAARINEN WATER TAXI
Fountain COURTHOUSE
PLAZA SMITH SQUARE STAIRS
410
455
450
445
CITYGARDEN SPIRAL GARDEN
AMPHITHEATER
GATEWAY ONE
470
465
460
PLAZA
MUSEUM
MARKET STREET
ENTRY
MARKET STREET
MEMORIAL DRIVE
INTERSTATE
OLD
70
CATHEDRAL SANTA FE
TRAIL
450 445
FRONTIER
VILLAGE
WALNUT STREET WALNUT STREET

450
450
Allée ext ens io ns d r a w t h e M e m o r i a l a n d v i s i t o r s i n t o downtown

NORTH 8TH STREET
NORTH 10TH STREET
NORTH 9TH STREET
445
445
ALLEES
455
SOUTH 4TH STREET
SOUTH BROADWAY
MEMORIAL DRIVE
55
HIGHWAY 44
PRAIRIE
HIGHWAY
SOUTH
POND BLUFF
FOREST
460
CLARK AVENUE
CLARK AVENUE
450
450
445
KIOSK
465
440
450
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
470
STADIUM
Existin g : L ut her E ly S m i t h S q u a r e SPRUCE STREET
470
SPRUCE STREET
46
TIPIS CIRCLE
465
46
0
45
5
460
45
43 0
SERVICE 5
44
RIVERBOATS
5
44
0
CHESNUT ST RESTAURANT
43
EXHIBIT
FUTURE CULTURAL
5
BUS DROP-OFF PAVILION

FACILITY
0
43
ELEVATOR
SOUTH OVERLOOK
MEMORIAL DR
KIOSK
4TH STREET
OLD LUTHER ELY SMITH POPLAR

STREET
PARKING PARKING DROP- MUSEUM
COURTHOUSE ENTRY SQUARE ENTRY OFF SKYLIGHTS
455
HIGHWAY
64
470
465
460
HIGHWAY 70
POPLAR STREET BRIDGE
ELEVATOR
PARKING OR TAXI STAGING CERRE STREET

BUS DROP-OFF MUSEUM ENTRY
MARKET ST PAVILION
SERVICE
MP
Luther Ely S mith S qu a re : P r o p o s e d p l a n

SOUTH BROADWAY
STREET
4TH
STREET
SOUTH
Luthe r E l y S m i t h S q u a re w i l l e x t e n d t h e M e m o r i a l
SOUTH 1ST
STREET
lawn a n d t h e h i s t o r i c a l l é e s i n t o t h e c i t y. Be n e a t h t h e
S-WHARF ST
2ND
trees, s h a d e d w a l k s w i l l p ro v i d e a c c e s s t o a n d f ro m
SOUTH
the M e m o r i a l . A 3 0 0 - c a r p a r k i n g g a r a g e b e n e a t h t h e
square w i l l b e a c c e s s e d t h ro u g h a u t o m o b i l e r a m p s GRATIOT
STREET
parall e l t o M e m o r i a l D r i v e . P e d e s t r i a n s t a i r s a n d
elevat o r s w i l l b r i n g v i s i t o r s u p t o s t re e t l e v e l w i t h a
grand v i e w o f t h e M e m o r i a l t o t h e e a s t a n d t h e O l d
Court h o u s e s t e p s t o t h e w e s t .
LOM
Illustrative Site Plan
Illustra ti v e S i te S e c ti o n

NORTH
WE
ST BR
OADW
AY
K DRIVE
RIVERPAR DRIVE
ARK
RIVERP
ET
B STRE
NORTH
ET STRE
EA
Existing: Kiener Plaza fountain Existing: Kiener Plaza theater
FRONT
ST
BR
OAD
WAY
NORTH
ADWAY
WEST BRO
ET
RE
CHESNUT ST
ST
GARAGE ENTRY RAMP
AIN
CONTINENTAL GRAIN ROAD
HM
ET
ELEVATOR
B STRE
UT
SO
NORTH
METROLINK KIOSK
STATION
UE ART
7TH STREET
BOGY AVEN ART
N ROAD
BROADWAY
PARKING ENTRY
PARKING
OLD
ENTRY
WAVE SPIRAL
E KIENER PLAZA
AL GRAI
BOGY AVENU BOGY AVENUE
FOUNTAIN THEATER COURTHOUSE
CONTINENT
ART
ELEV.
ART
KIOSK

GARAGE ENTRY RAMP
MARKET ST
Kiener Plaza: Proposed Plan
ET
RE
H ST
H 4T
UT
SO
Keiner Plaza is designed to extend the success of
C i t y g a rd e n b y l i n k i n g t h ro u g h O n e G a t e w a y P l a z a w i t h
CASINO QUEEN
permanent artworks of civic scale. As in Luther Ely

S m i t h S q u a re , t h e s p a c e i s f r a m e d w i t h e x t e n s i o n s o f
the historic allées. The west end will be defined by a
ET
RE
c h i l d re n ’s ‘ w a v e f o u n t a i n . ’ I t s s h a l l o w w a v e a c t i o n ,
ROAD
H ST
CONTINENTAL GRAIN
5T
UTH
g e n t l e e n o u g h f o r t o dd l e r s , w i l l e m e r g e f ro m a b l o c k y
SO
s t o n e w a l l . To w a rd s t h e e a s t , a n o u t d o o r g re e n
CARGILL
TRANSFER STATION BO
ND
amphitheater will be built in a gentle spiral, allowing
universal access to each seat. The Courthouse will
AV
EN
UE
GATEWAY GEYSER f o r m t h e b a c k d ro p f o r t h e t h e a t e r. A n 8 0 0 - c a r g a r a g e
ET
RE
b e l o w - g r a d e w i l l b e a c c e s s e d b y s t a i r s a n d e l e v a t o r,
ST
AIN
HM
w i t h a c a f é k i o s k a t th e e a s t e r n e n t r y.
UT
ET
SO
RE
H ST
MAR
H 4T
KE
T AV
UT
EN
UE
SO
REST FACILITY
STREET
0
5
E R 10
15
FRONT
20
25
30
35
40
45
WEST TRENDLEY AVENUE
50
55
60
WES
T TR
ARRIVAL COURT
EN
65 DL
EY
WATER TAXI OVERLOOK FARMER'S MARKET AV
EN
UE
PARKING IN LAWN
ELEVATOR AND
PEDESTRIAN
BRIDGE
THE MOUND
E W
V I
UE Kiener Plaza: Outdoor sculpture precedent at Nasher Sculpture

THE CENTER FOR AGRICULTURE AND WELL-BEING G a r d e n , D a l l a s , Te x a s
FARM ROADS
GREENHOUSES
UE
EN
AV
TT
PIGO
UE
EN
AV
IPPI
K i e n e r P l a z a : ‘ Wa v e F o u n t a i n ’ p r e c e d e n t s , J a m i s o n S q u a r e ,
SISS
MIS
Portland, Oregon
N
Kiener Plaza: ‘Spiral Garden Amphiheater’ precedents at
0 200’ 400’ 800’ Swarthmore College
0 100’ 200’ 400’

We will renovate the park with the goal of restoring Dan
Kiley’s original design intent while addressing the physical and
horticultural challenges that have limited the success of the
landscape. We will replant the historic allées with columnar trees
that will open views and increase the drama and impact of the
Arch. Visitors will be able to explore dense native woodlands,
discover clearings along the banks of ponds, and experience
wildlife supported by the richer, more sustainable habitat. In
replacing the extensive turf with a naturalized landscape we will
limit water use and improve water quality while realizing Kiley’s
vision of a park that captures the mysterious character of the
untamed western lands.
Existing : S t a g na t ing p o n d s E x i s t i n g : S p a r s e tree planting

SERVICE
INTERSTATE 70 470
RESTAURANT 460
455
465
NATIVE FOREST NATIVE FOREST
450
44
P R A I R I E F O R E S T
5 NATIVE MEADOW
GRASSES
CAMPFIRE
CIRCLE
KIOSK
NORTH POND 445
OREGON TRAIL STONE

PAVING
MUSEUM
SKYLIGHTS
F U T U R E
C U L T U R A L
460
F A C I L I T Y
465
465
455
A L L E E S
445
450
LAWN
455
460
450
445
MUSEUM OF THE
444.0 B L U F F
SAARINEN EXHIBITS
STAIRS
413.0 SOUTH LEONOR K SULLIVAN BOULEVARD
North P o nd Pla n
0 100’ 200’ 400’ N
Prairie F o re st vie w: M o w n - g r a s s p a t h t h r o u g h n a t ive woodland Prairie Forest: Visitors are drawn to th e r e s t o r e d K i l e y p o n d s a n d e n j o y f o o d a n d d r i n k f r o m t h e n e a r b y k i o s k .
Prairie F o re st pre c e d e n t : P r a i r i e F o re s t p recedent: Prairie Forest precendent: Pond e d g e : I r r e g u l a r s t o n e Pond edge: Saarinen/Kiley Pond edge: Saarinen/Kiley Existing: Grand Staircase with Existing: Deteriorating
Mown-gr a s s p a t h N a t i v e w o o d l a n d , Illinois Tightly-spaced trees path in l a w n s t o n e p a v i n g a t Ya l e U n i v e r s i t y s t o n e p a v i n g a t Ya l e U n i v e r s i t y convential detailing condition of Grand Staircase
Prairie F o re st: H is t o r i c i n t e r p r e t a t i o n i n t h e C a m p f ire Circle Saarinen’s Stair sweeping up from the r i v e r f r o n t i n a g r a c e f u l c a t e n a r y c u r v e
Allées: Kiley p r eced en t a t S c e a u x , F r a n c e Allées: Kiley rendering Allées : E x i s t i n g a s h p l a n t i n g A l l é e s : K i l e y ’s p r o p o s e d Tu l i p p o p l a r s A l l é e s o f c o l u m n a r t u l i p p o p l a r s t h a t r e s t o r e K i l e y ’s v i s i o n o f f r a m i n g t h e A r c h w i t h t r e e s

ENGAGE THE RIVER
Along the riverfront, we will rebuild the Saarinen Stair in the graceful
catenary curve he intended. We will extend the connection to
the river for the full length of the Memorial by building a great
grassy bluff that bridges the railroad and reopens views of the
river. We will simplify Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard to reveal
the historic character of the cobblestone levee. Riverboats will
line the waterfront and provide food and entertainment, while
recreating a bustling commercial atmosphere. This major new
civic space for St. Louis will become an important venue for large
-scale events as well as a place where people can come for less
formal interactions with the river. The waterfront will transform
the Memorial by grounding visitor experience in the ecological
and physical dynamism of the river.
E x i s t i ng: Rail cut and t u n n e l E x i s t i n g : P l a n t i n g on bluff
E x i s t i ng: Limited view f r o m E x i s t i n g : L i m i t e d view from

a l l é e t o river in summe r a l l é e t o r i v e r i n w i nter
B L U F F S
L E V E E
P A R K
GRAND MISSISSIPPI THE

STAIRS RIVER M O UND
T h e a l lées will open t o s w e e p i n g v i e w s a c r o s s t h e bluff to the Daytime view of the bluff from the S o u t h O v e r l o o k : T h e b l u f f w i l l b r i n g t h e e n t i r e r i v e r f r o n t c o m p o s i t i o n i n t o h a r m o n y a n d s c a l e w i t h t h e A r c h a n d t h e c u r v i n g f o r m s o f t h e M e m or i a l .
r e n e w ed levee, the rive r, t h e b r i d g e s , a n d t h e e a s t e r n shore in the
d i s t a n ce with the Car g i l l s i l o s , g r e e n h o u s e s , a g r i c ultural fields,
a n d t h e Mound. The op e n n e s s t o t h e e a s t o f t h e a l l ées will stand
i n c o n trast to the dens e a n d c o m p l e x p r a i r i e f o r e s t to the west.
T h e r i v er, bluffs, and E a d s B r i d g e f r o m t h e a l l é e
R i v e r b oats on the wate r f r o n t , 1 9 1 1
U n l o a ding cargo onto t h e S t . L o u i s l e v e e Nightime view of the bluff from Sout h O v e r l o o k : T h e b l u f f w i l l c r e a t e a s p a c e t h a t c a n r e c e i v e v i s i t o r s i n s m a l l g r o u p s o r i n f e s t i v a l n u m b e r s .

EXPAND THE MUSEUM
We will transform the existing Museum into an experience that
truly celebrates the Arch as it tells the story of the American West.
Visitors will enter through a set of glass pavilions anchoring the
new western entry plaza. As they descend into the subterranean
space, the Museum will open up in front of them, viewed from
a ramp sailing through the new space. Above will be long-span
concrete shell vaults, the structure echoing Saarinen’s vocabulary.
Skylights will open through the roof, to create a kinetic sequence
of previously impossible views of the Arch. Visitors will arrive at
the Grand Hall, a dramatic space directly underneath the Arch,
with cafes, shops, and restaurants and an exhibition focused on
the Arch. The Museum of Westward Expansion will be rebranded
as the Museum of the American West and occupy the main
body of the museum. Completely referential to the Arch, the
Museum will be a sensitive, timeless addition, posing minimum
impact to the topography while delivering maximum impact to
the experience.
Existing : M us eum ext e r i o r E x i s t i n g : M u s e u m entr y ramp
Existing : V is it o r cent e r E x i s t i n g : M u s e u m security
Skyligh t a nd m ez z a nin e I n t e r a c t i v e p r o g r a ming
Historic film s a nd ed uc a t i o n P e r f o r m a n c e a n d events View from the Old Courthouse through t h e A r c h t o t h e r i v e r w i t h t h e M o u n d i n t h e d i s t a n c e . M u s e u m p a v i l i o n s f r a m e a n e w p l a z a at t h e w e s t e r n e n t r y t o t h e M e m o r i a l .
South North
North-s o ut h s ect io n t h r o u g h t h e M u s e u m
South North
North-s o ut h s ect io n t h r o u g h t h e G r a n d H a l l
West East
East-w es t s ect io n t hr o u g h e x p a n d e d M u s e u m
View of m ez z a nine b r id g e w i t h e x h i b i t i o n s p a c e b e l ow View of expanded below-grade Museum w i t h s k y l i g h t s o p e n i n g t o t h e A r c h a b o v e

4
450
5
44
L EVEE
445
HI G HWAY
S E RVICE
MUSEUM
SKYLIGHTS
PAV ILION
MEMORI AL D RI VE
B.S. 413.0
T.S. 444.0
GRAND
STAIR S
410
455
450
445
PAV ILION
MUSEUM
BELOW
S E RVICE
HI GHWAY
OLD FRONTIER
CATHEDRAL VILLAGE
View of Grand Hall with mezzanine bridge and skylights

450 445
Park-le vel M us eum p la n w i t h p a v i l i o n s a n d s k y l i g h t s
EXHIBITS BELOW
RAMP THROUGH
MUSEUM
View of Museum pavilions and western entry plaza
Mezzan ine-level M us e u m p l a n
MUSEUM EXHIBITS AND

SPECIAL EVENTS View of visitors exiting underground parking into the Memorial
G R E AT H A L L
R E S TA U R A N T
ARCH
EXHIBITS
Lower-level M us eum p l a n Below-grade view of the Arch through skylight above the Grand Hall Skylight at the British Museum

On the east bank of the Mississippi, we will transform the
Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park into a destination re�ecting
the long human history of engineering the Great Plains into a
vast agricultural landscape. We will add a monumental earthen
mound, agricultural �elds, and greenhouses to the existing
grain-storage, �ood-control, and transportation systems to
compose the eastern view from St. Louis and draw visitors
across the river. The Center for Agriculture and Well-Being will
bring together international leaders of agricultural, plant, and Greenhouses
life sciences to create working research gardens (modeled on
the famous Morrow Plots) that explore the human relationship
to the Plains as both environment and productive landscape.
Visitors will engage natural ecosystems and explore the
development of plants as food and medicine for a growing
global population in a changing climate. The Center will provide
training and educational opportunities in the technological and
communication skills that are the bedrock of twenty-�rst-century
agriculture. A farmers’ market will bring healthy food to East Greenhouses
St. Louis. Sixty-�ve-feet high, the mound will reward visitors
with spectacular views of the Arch and the region it celebrates.
View above the Center for Agriculture an d We l l - B e i n g l o o k i n g w e s t t o t h e A r c h Agricultural fields
CORE TEAM
Existing : E a s t Ba nk, C a r g i l l E x i s t i n g : Tr e n d l e y Avenue PWP Landscape Architecture Landscape Architecture
Foster + Partners Architecture
Civitas Urban Design
PROJECT TEAM
Buro Happold Sustainability/MEP,/Structural
2x4 Graphic Design/Way�nding
Ned Kahn Studios Art Integration
Artist’s r end er ing o f C a h o k i a M o u n d s , I l l i n o i s
Quinn Evans Architects Historic Setting, Section 106
Mackey Mitchell Local Architect of Record
Cole & Associates Civil Engineering
M3 Hydraulic Engineer
CBB Local Traf�c Engineer
Mobility In Chain MIC Mobility/Transit
Lord Cultural Resources Program/Visitation
Vector Communications Community Outreach
George Sexton Associates Lighting Design
HRA Economic Development
Code Consultants Code, Fire, Safety, Accessibility
Davis Langdon Cost Estimation
Jim Ronda Western Expansion Historian
Dorothée Imbert Cultural Landscape Historian
Environmental Design Tree Relocation/Protection
CR Dixon Associates Agronomy
Christopher Grubbs Illustrator
Agricultura l- sc ie nc e f i e l d s : M o r r o w P l o t s , U n i v e r sity of Illinois Agricultural-science fields: View of a c h i l d r e n ’s w o r k s h o p i n t h e f i e l d s w i t h t h e M o u n d a n d C a r g i l l b e y o n d


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REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

St. Louis, Missouri

PWP Landscape Architecture | Foster+Partners | Civitas 08.12.2010

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

The Jefferson National Expansion At the historical and geographic center

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

Catalyze increased vitality in the St. Louis region.

Honor the character–defining elements of the National Historic Landmark.

Tell the story of St. Louis as the gateway to national expansion.

Mitigate the impact of transportation systems.

Develop a sustainable future.

The 2015 program is organized into six focus areas:

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

REOPEN THE VISTA

RESTORE THE LANDSCAPE

ENGAGE THE RIVER

EXPAND THE MUSEUM

REIMAGINE THE EAST BANK

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

The connection between the city and

• Geometric improvements to the

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

GARAGE ENTRY RAMP

2015 downtown access

restored city grid

EXTENT OF FREEWAY CAP

P future parking PARKING

• Deck of roughly 600 feet over I-70

Museum pavilion DROP-OFF ENTRY

• Relocation of bus drop-off to Market

vehicle interfaces are minimized SERVICE WOODS

• A series of modest curbline,

improvements that will enhance

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

primary pedestrian circulation

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

added pedestrian space

Downtown streets adjustments

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

added pedestrian space

Laclede’s Landing streets

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

existing buildings improved crosswalks

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

6’ 10’ 10’ 10’

2nd: between Morgan & Lucas (looking south)

10’ 6’ 10’ 10’ 8’ 6’

Eads Bridge Section

east-bound east-bound west-bound west-bound

5’ 13’ 11’ 11’ 13’ 14’ 14’ 14’ 10’

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

Market between 4th & Memorial (looking east)

Market between 4th & Memorial (looking east)

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

the number of Memorial visitors

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

Economic development potential

REFRAMING THE ARCH | EXPANDING THE MEMORIAL

We propose a phased redevelopment