History

Designed by Isaac Taylor, the Columbia Building was completed in 1892 as a nine-story Romanesque structure in downtown St. Louis. Celebrating the 400th anniversary of Columbus’s arrival, it embodied the optimism of the city’s late-19th-century expansion. After decades of economic decline and urban renewal, the building was partially demolished in 1976, leaving a two-story remnant of its original form.

Concept

A lightweight, perforated metal volume hovers above the remaining structure of the Columbia Building. The proposal reimagines the truncated landmark as a hybrid civic and data-driven workplace, bridging collective memory with the future of work.

Spatial Strategy

The new structure is suspended by three sculptural tapered concrete columns and a reinforced elevator shaft, creating a striking cantilever above the historic masonry base.
Base level – reprogrammed as a public hub with a lobby, auditorium, and rooftop garden.
Floating volume – accommodates a flexible workplace organized around collaboration, adaptability, and real-time performance response.
Intermediate mezzanines – adjacent to a scissor stair, provide visual connectivity and informal gathering zones.
Rooftop garden and terrace - extend workspaces outdoors, improving comfort and reconnecting users with nature.

Material and Structure

Hybrid steel-and-concrete frame conveys lightness above masonry mass.
Perforated metal cladding filters daylight, ensuring visual privacy while maintaining transparency. Panels vary in density, denser above and more open below, responding to solar exposure.

Interior finishes such as wood ceilings and retractable curtains complement the exposed structure, allowing spaces to shift between open and enclosed configurations.

Performance-Responsive Workplace

Behavioral simulations and network analysis guide the organization of work zones. Using an architecture office as a case study, the design studies workflow dynamics and adapts conventional layouts to post-pandemic needs. 
Through simulated interaction models, the project identifies spatial inefficiencies and encourages spontaneous collaboration. Workspaces remain reconfigurable, allowing users to adjust their environment to shifting activities and personal preferences.