{"id":206426,"date":"2025-10-08T11:15:49","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T15:15:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/?p=206426"},"modified":"2025-10-08T09:41:18","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T13:41:18","slug":"snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/","title":{"rendered":"Brick, Light and Lyricism: Sn\u00f8hetta Reimagines St. Louis&#8217;s Powell Hall as a Civic Beacon"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"370\" data-end=\"809\">A century after its debut as a vaudeville movie palace, St Louis&#8217; iconic Powell Hall has re-entered public life with new purpose and new poise. <a href=\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/firms\/snohetta\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sn\u00f8hetta<\/a>\u2019s ambitious expansion and renewal does not seek to overwrite the past \u2014 instead, the project amplifies what St. Louis already loved while opening the institution, spatially and symbolically, to new audiences of all demographics.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"811\" data-end=\"1403\">From the outset, Sn\u00f8hetta\u2019s co-founder Craig Dykers framed the brief less as an act of preservation and more as an act of belonging. \u201cOne of the things that was intriguing wasn&#8217;t the fact that the building was old, but that it was loved. The people of St. Louis loved it,\u201d Dykers explained. The task, then, was to honor that affection while giving shape to a vibrant future home for the orchestra within the city&#8217;s evolving Grand Center Arts District.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"811\" data-end=\"1403\">\u201cWe wanted to create a sense that \u2026 this was a place for everyone to visit,\u201d he added. This underlying ethos would shape everything about the project, from urban strategy to brick coursing.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"1405\" data-end=\"1448\">Opening a One-Sided Palace to the City<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_206437\" style=\"width: 2570px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-206437\" class=\"lazy lazy_media_item wp-image-206437 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/0122-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Sn\u00f8hetta's reimagined Powell Hall, St Louis, Photo by Sam Fentress\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1917\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/0122-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/0122-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/0122-1024x767.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/0122-768x575.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/0122-1536x1150.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/0122-2048x1534.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/0122-66x50.jpg 66w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-206437\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/firms\/snohetta\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sn\u00f8hetta<\/a>&#8216;s reimagined Powell Hall, St Louis; photo by Sam Fentress<\/em>. <em>The project was realized in collaboration with architect of record Christner Architects, theater planning consultants Schuler Shook, construction manager BSI Constructors and acoustic designers Kirkegaard.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p data-start=\"1450\" data-end=\"1899\">Powell Hall\u2019s historical typology is familiar: a singular, highly ornamented front fa\u00e7ade and three largely blank sides, designed by legendary theater architects <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rapp_and_Rapp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rapp &amp; Rapp<\/a> and completed in 1925. This configuration was designed to serve a ticketed, pass-through movie audience, not a contemporary arts public that lingers before and after the performance. With this in mind, Sn\u00f8hetta\u2019s decisive urban move was to convert this very one-sided building into an accessible and welcoming civic actor. As Takeshi Tornier, Project Director at Snohetta, put it, \u201cWe decided that we\u2019re going to open up this building on all sides.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1901\" data-end=\"2522\">A new addition to the south introduces broad glazed arches that cut sight lines through the complex. Approach from Grand Boulevard and you can see all the way through, via a series of expansive glazed fa\u00e7ades, to Delmar. Similarly, arrive from parking and service areas and you can see right into the enticing new entrance lobby. This visual connectivity is a distinguishing characteristic of the new addition, making wayfinding more intuitive and offering a palpable sense of permeability. Entrances, views and programmatic thresholds now cross-reference one another throughout. \u201cWe simplified all the circulation based on views, targets and simplicity,\u201d Dykers said. In this way, the once-opaque perimeter becomes an instrument for orientation.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_206430\" style=\"width: 2570px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-206430\" class=\"lazy lazy_media_item wp-image-206430 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5238-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5238-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5238-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5238-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5238-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5238-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5238-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-206430\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Huge arched windows connect the public plaza outside with the entrance lobby inside; photo by Sam Fentress.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p data-start=\"2524\" data-end=\"3125\">The new plaza on Grand Boulevard is the project\u2019s civic prelude. Sn\u00f8hetta set their sweeping, sculptural extension back from the street, retaining views to Rapp &amp; Rapp\u2019s Greco-Roman front while making room for gathering. The principal window at the lobby operates as a public signal. \u201cWe made this giant window facing Grand and it&#8217;s like a lighthouse. It&#8217;s a beacon,\u201d Dykers noted. Before performances, the plaza reads as an outdoor foyer. On non-performance days, it operates as a small, inviting urban square for locals living and working in the district.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"3127\" data-end=\"3193\">Canted Brick and Lyrical Arches<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"3195\" data-end=\"3801\">The architecture of the new addition is intentionally distinct from the historic envelope of the original building, but the difference is complementary rather than combative. Inside and out, the visual language is inspired by operatic scores, defined by curves, inflections and varied, rhythmic openings. \u201cWe don&#8217;t use uniform arches. We use a kind of lyrical, bouncing arch that almost feels like a work of music,\u201d Dykers explained, likening the forms to the movement of a conductor\u2019s baton and the waist and F-holes of string instruments. Beyond the fa\u00e7ade, these gestures also describe the sequences of interior balconies that let audiences \u201csee and be seen\u201d across a triple-height space.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_206433\" style=\"width: 2570px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-206433\" class=\"lazy lazy_media_item wp-image-206433 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5350-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Powell Hall Renovation and Extension by Sn\u00f8hetta\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2175\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5350-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5350-300x255.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5350-1024x870.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5350-768x653.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5350-1536x1305.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5350-2048x1740.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-206433\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/firms\/snohetta\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sn\u00f8hetta<\/a>&#8216;s extension is constructed from stepped brickwork; photo by Sam Fentress<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p data-start=\"3803\" data-end=\"4540\">At the massing scale, the additions lean gently away from the site boundary, preserving key views down Grand Boulevard and striking a formal contrast to Powell Hall&#8217;s historic silhouette. The sloped exterior walls are composed of stepped surfaces made through canted brickwork that lends the building a tactile quality.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3803\" data-end=\"4540\">\u201cThe walls are not actually slanted, they&#8217;re stepped \u2026 Each brick course is corbeled slightly further out than the one above it,\u201d Dykers explained. This geometry forms a subtle yet striking exterior that will express different qualities depending on the season. In summer, the inclination improves solar access to spaces below while visually lightening the mass as it rises. In winter, those brick &#8216;micro-ledges&#8217; will catch snow, drawing delicate horizontal lines across the fa\u00e7ade.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_206729\" style=\"width: 2341px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-206729\" class=\"lazy lazy_media_item wp-image-206729 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Snohetta-Powell-Hall-Section-Drawing.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2331\" height=\"1745\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Snohetta-Powell-Hall-Section-Drawing.jpg 2331w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Snohetta-Powell-Hall-Section-Drawing-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Snohetta-Powell-Hall-Section-Drawing-1024x767.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Snohetta-Powell-Hall-Section-Drawing-768x575.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Snohetta-Powell-Hall-Section-Drawing-1536x1150.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Snohetta-Powell-Hall-Section-Drawing-2048x1533.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Snohetta-Powell-Hall-Section-Drawing-66x50.jpg 66w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2331px) 100vw, 2331px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-206729\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Section drawing through Powell Hall with Sn\u00f8hetta&#8217;s new addition on the right; drawing courtesy of Sn\u00f8hetta<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p data-start=\"4542\" data-end=\"5100\">Complex curves can be onerous when it comes time to build, so the designers rationalized the form of the building envelope to help with constructability. \u201cIt\u2019s almost like you&#8217;re taking a cylinder and you&#8217;re leaning it over,\u201d Dykers said. \u201cSo wherever you cut it horizontally, the radius doesn&#8217;t change.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4542\" data-end=\"5100\">This logic allowed masons to build the fa\u00e7ades using conventional techniques, despite the unusual geometry. \u201cWe told the mason where the center of each radius is and how it matches up for each course, and he could build it with traditional methods,\u201d Tornier added. \u201cIt came out really nicely. I have great respect for the masons in St. Louis.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"5102\" data-end=\"5150\">Fabrication as Performance<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"5152\" data-end=\"5508\">If the exterior reads as a lyrical overture, the lobby\u2019s grand stair is the solo. Rising within the triple-height entrance space, its upper parapet is constructed from a thick, formed steel ribbon. Dykers described it with characteristic awe: \u201cThe top \u2026 is solid steel that was bent and molded into this helical shape which is about as close to a Richard Serra sculpture as you&#8217;ll ever get.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_206432\" style=\"width: 1717px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-206432\" class=\"lazy lazy_media_item wp-image-206432 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5234-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Powell Hall Renovation and Extension by Sn\u00f8hetta\" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5234-1-scaled.jpg 1707w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5234-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5234-1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5234-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5234-1-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5234-1-1365x2048.jpg 1365w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-206432\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>The grand staircase spirals up the triple-height lobby space; photo by Sam Fentress<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p data-start=\"5510\" data-end=\"6079\">Fabrication of this key architectural element unfolded like choreography. \u201cThe people would bring it to site, look at it, and then if something was off, they would mark it up, take it back to the shop, re-bend it,\u201d Dykers recalled. \u201cIt was a piece of very iterative work.\u201d Templates for the flared, non-repetitive treads towards the foot of the stair were crafted full-scale in plywood before being adjusted as needed on site. The resulting staircase is dramatic, joyful and profoundly tactile. The stair doubles as a physical and visual connector, a place to occupy during intermission and a sculptural register of movement that is visible to the public through the lobby&#8217;s sequence of grand arched windows.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"6081\" data-end=\"6137\">Refurbishment You Can Hear (and Feel)<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"6139\" data-end=\"6671\">The front-of-house may be most photogenic, but the most consequential human upgrades arguably occur behind the scenes. A logical loop of circulation now threads dressing rooms, rehearsal suites, storage and stage doors, providing a simple, legible layout that maximizes comfort conditions for performers.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6139\" data-end=\"6671\">\u201cWe give them daylight, access to fresh air and a nice place to lounge,\u201d Dykers explained. The lounge, scaled for the reality of 90\u2013100 people, incorporates as much seating as possible, right down to upholstered window sills. Small, empathetic details have been integrated to truly modernize the back-of-house space: \u201cWe made a small shelf that each musician can put their little coffee cup on,\u201d said Dykers.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_206730\" style=\"width: 2291px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-206730\" class=\"size-full wp-image-206730 lazy lazy_media_item\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Snohetta-Powell-Hall-Plan-Drawing.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2281\" height=\"1619\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Snohetta-Powell-Hall-Plan-Drawing.jpg 2281w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Snohetta-Powell-Hall-Plan-Drawing-300x213.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Snohetta-Powell-Hall-Plan-Drawing-1024x727.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Snohetta-Powell-Hall-Plan-Drawing-768x545.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Snohetta-Powell-Hall-Plan-Drawing-1536x1090.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Snohetta-Powell-Hall-Plan-Drawing-2048x1454.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2281px) 100vw, 2281px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-206730\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Ground floor plan of Powell Hall with new lobby to the south and expanded back-of-house spaces shown to the east; drawing courtesy of Sn\u00f8hetta<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p data-start=\"6139\" data-end=\"6671\">Beyond the visible architecture, the team undertook an exacting refurbishment of the historic hall. Air supply and acoustic tuning were carefully recalibrated without disturbing the room\u2019s character. Despite these updates relating to less tangible characteristics, the stakes were at their highest here: \u201cIf you mess up the acoustics, that&#8217;s it. There&#8217;s no purpose in doing the project,\u201d Dykers admitted.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"6139\" data-end=\"6671\">The goal was to retain what musicians already considered special and refine it further for contemporary performances. Early rehearsals suggest success: \u201cThe music director said he feels he can reach out and <em>grab<\/em> the music,\u201d Dykers noted.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_206431\" style=\"width: 2570px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-206431\" class=\"lazy lazy_media_item wp-image-206431 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5145-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Powell Hall Renovation and Extension by Sn\u00f8hetta\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5145-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5145-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5145-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5145-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5145-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5145-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-206431\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>The original hall was also refurbished to improve ventilation and acoustics; photo by Sam Fentress<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p data-start=\"7841\" data-end=\"8148\">The project also adds the Education and Learning Center, a 300-seat, wood-lined, multipurpose venue with a street-facing window. This multi-purpose space will host a diverse range of contemporary performing arts programs, as well as supporting both community partners and youth ensembles. This addition is further proof that Sn\u00f8hetta&#8217;s project was not just about adding square footage: It was about providing more kinds of creative space for more kinds of people.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 data-start=\"8150\" data-end=\"8194\">Heritage, Context and a Broader Public<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"8196\" data-end=\"8789\">Powell Hall sits at the confluence of complicated histories: a city shaped by rivers and industry, by cultural brilliance and economic contraction, by neighborhoods with unequal access to resources. The project recognizes this context without making it a slogan. By opening fa\u00e7ades and entrances in every direction, the building now acknowledges the communities around it, including those who long felt unwelcome.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"8196\" data-end=\"8789\">Perhaps most importantly, the work reframes what a concert hall should be in 2025. The historic hall remains intact, but everything around it shifts toward public life. The spaces between ticketing and ovation \u2014 plaza, lobbies, lounges, classrooms \u2014 are now active civic zones. This is adaptive reuse as cultural urbanism, calibrated for the present and the future of St Louis. In Dykers\u2019 words, the project was about &#8220;reusing as as much as possible and adding as little as necessary.\u201d The goal was not to create a new architectural icon \u2014 it was to foster a new relationship with musicians, with neighbors and with the city itself. On this note, Sn\u00f8hetta have struck a harmonious chord, providing a valuable case study for performing arts spaces in the years ahead.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"8196\" data-end=\"8789\">To explore more recent projects by Sn\u00f8hetta, check out their growing firm profile <a href=\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/firms\/snohetta\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Craig Dykers and Takeshi Tornier reveal how canted brick, expansive arches and new public spaces have transformed a historic concert hall.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":206437,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"architizer_featured_type":"insert","architizer_featured_image":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,5],"tags":[],"architizer_project":[],"architizer_brand":[],"architizer_firm":[9302],"architizer_product":[],"class_list":["post-206426","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-inspiration","category-stories","architizer_firm-snohetta"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Brick, Light and Lyricism: Sn\u00f8hetta Reimagines St. Louis&#039;s Powell Hall as a Civic Beacon - Architizer Journal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Sn\u00f8hetta reveals how canted brick, expansive arches and new public spaces have transformed St. Louis\u2019s historic Powell Hall.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Brick, Light and Lyricism: Sn\u00f8hetta Reimagines St. Louis&#039;s Powell Hall as a Civic Beacon - Architizer Journal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Sn\u00f8hetta\u2019s Craig Dykers and Takeshi Tornier reveal how they employed canted brick and\u00a0expansive arches\u00a0to transform St. Louis\u2019s historic concert hall.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Journal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Architizer\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-08T15:15:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-08T13:41:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Powell-Hall_Snohetta_Architizer_Photo-by-Sam-Fentress.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2229\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1167\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Paul Keskeys\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Sn\u00f8hetta\u2019s Craig Dykers and Takeshi Tornier reveal how they employed canted brick and\u00a0expansive arches\u00a0to transform St. Louis\u2019s historic concert hall.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Powell-Hall_Snohetta_Architizer_Photo-by-Sam-Fentress.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Architizer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Architizer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Paul Keskeys\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Paul Keskeys\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/79af14ed3c248baba88bb9b29a6891d1\"},\"headline\":\"Brick, Light and Lyricism: Sn\u00f8hetta Reimagines St. Louis&#8217;s Powell Hall as a Civic Beacon\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-08T15:15:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-08T13:41:18+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/\"},\"wordCount\":1712,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/0122-scaled.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Inspiration\",\"Stories\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/\",\"name\":\"Brick, Light and Lyricism: Sn\u00f8hetta Reimagines St. Louis's Powell Hall as a Civic Beacon - Architizer Journal\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/0122-scaled.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-08T15:15:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-08T13:41:18+00:00\",\"description\":\"Sn\u00f8hetta reveals how canted brick, expansive arches and new public spaces have transformed St. Louis\u2019s historic Powell Hall.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/0122-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/0122-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1917},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Brick, Light and Lyricism: Sn\u00f8hetta Reimagines St. Louis&#8217;s Powell Hall as a Civic Beacon\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Journal\",\"description\":\"Inspiration and Tools for Architects\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Architizer\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/favicon.df2618023937.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/favicon.df2618023937.png\",\"width\":36,\"height\":36,\"caption\":\"Architizer\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Architizer\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/Architizer\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/architizer\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/architizer\/\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/architizer\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/Architizer\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/79af14ed3c248baba88bb9b29a6891d1\",\"name\":\"Paul Keskeys\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d6706d82e23250fb6bcbe3379682c3f6e5655fbc27c6eca093ae999c3a67b652?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.architizer.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Flogo-600x600-1.jpg&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d6706d82e23250fb6bcbe3379682c3f6e5655fbc27c6eca093ae999c3a67b652?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.architizer.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Flogo-600x600-1.jpg&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Paul Keskeys\"},\"description\":\"Paul Keskeys is Editor in Chief at Architizer. An architect-trained editor, writer and content creator, Paul graduated from UCL and the University of Edinburgh, gaining an MArch in Architectural Design with distinction. Paul has spoken about the art of architecture and storytelling at many national industry events, including AIANY, NeoCon, KBIS, the Future NOW Symposium, the Young Architect Conference and NYCxDesign. As well as hundreds of editorial publications on Architizer, Paul has also had features published in Architectural Digest, PIN\u2014UP Magazine, Archinect, Aesthetica Magazine and PUBLIC Journal.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/author\/paul-keskeys\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Brick, Light and Lyricism: Sn\u00f8hetta Reimagines St. Louis's Powell Hall as a Civic Beacon - Architizer Journal","description":"Sn\u00f8hetta reveals how canted brick, expansive arches and new public spaces have transformed St. Louis\u2019s historic Powell Hall.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Brick, Light and Lyricism: Sn\u00f8hetta Reimagines St. Louis's Powell Hall as a Civic Beacon - Architizer Journal","og_description":"Sn\u00f8hetta\u2019s Craig Dykers and Takeshi Tornier reveal how they employed canted brick and\u00a0expansive arches\u00a0to transform St. Louis\u2019s historic concert hall.","og_url":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/","og_site_name":"Journal","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Architizer\/","article_published_time":"2025-10-08T15:15:49+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-10-08T13:41:18+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2229,"height":1167,"url":"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Powell-Hall_Snohetta_Architizer_Photo-by-Sam-Fentress.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Paul Keskeys","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_description":"Sn\u00f8hetta\u2019s Craig Dykers and Takeshi Tornier reveal how they employed canted brick and\u00a0expansive arches\u00a0to transform St. Louis\u2019s historic concert hall.","twitter_image":"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Powell-Hall_Snohetta_Architizer_Photo-by-Sam-Fentress.jpg","twitter_creator":"@Architizer","twitter_site":"@Architizer","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Paul Keskeys","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/"},"author":{"name":"Paul Keskeys","@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/79af14ed3c248baba88bb9b29a6891d1"},"headline":"Brick, Light and Lyricism: Sn\u00f8hetta Reimagines St. Louis&#8217;s Powell Hall as a Civic Beacon","datePublished":"2025-10-08T15:15:49+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-08T13:41:18+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/"},"wordCount":1712,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/0122-scaled.jpg","articleSection":["Inspiration","Stories"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/","url":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/","name":"Brick, Light and Lyricism: Sn\u00f8hetta Reimagines St. Louis's Powell Hall as a Civic Beacon - Architizer Journal","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/0122-scaled.jpg","datePublished":"2025-10-08T15:15:49+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-08T13:41:18+00:00","description":"Sn\u00f8hetta reveals how canted brick, expansive arches and new public spaces have transformed St. Louis\u2019s historic Powell Hall.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/0122-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/0122-scaled.jpg","width":2560,"height":1917},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/snohetta-st-louis-powell-hall\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Brick, Light and Lyricism: Sn\u00f8hetta Reimagines St. Louis&#8217;s Powell Hall as a Civic Beacon"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/","name":"Journal","description":"Inspiration and Tools for Architects","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Architizer","url":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/favicon.df2618023937.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/favicon.df2618023937.png","width":36,"height":36,"caption":"Architizer"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Architizer\/","https:\/\/x.com\/Architizer","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/architizer\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/architizer\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/architizer\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/Architizer"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/79af14ed3c248baba88bb9b29a6891d1","name":"Paul Keskeys","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d6706d82e23250fb6bcbe3379682c3f6e5655fbc27c6eca093ae999c3a67b652?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.architizer.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Flogo-600x600-1.jpg&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d6706d82e23250fb6bcbe3379682c3f6e5655fbc27c6eca093ae999c3a67b652?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.architizer.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Flogo-600x600-1.jpg&r=g","caption":"Paul Keskeys"},"description":"Paul Keskeys is Editor in Chief at Architizer. An architect-trained editor, writer and content creator, Paul graduated from UCL and the University of Edinburgh, gaining an MArch in Architectural Design with distinction. Paul has spoken about the art of architecture and storytelling at many national industry events, including AIANY, NeoCon, KBIS, the Future NOW Symposium, the Young Architect Conference and NYCxDesign. As well as hundreds of editorial publications on Architizer, Paul has also had features published in Architectural Digest, PIN\u2014UP Magazine, Archinect, Aesthetica Magazine and PUBLIC Journal.","url":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/author\/paul-keskeys\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blog.architizer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/0122-scaled.jpg","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/206426","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=206426"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/206426\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/206437"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=206426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=206426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=206426"},{"taxonomy":"architizer_project","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/architizer_project?post=206426"},{"taxonomy":"architizer_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/architizer_brand?post=206426"},{"taxonomy":"architizer_firm","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/architizer_firm?post=206426"},{"taxonomy":"architizer_product","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/architizer_product?post=206426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}