Terrace View Cafe

TERRACE VIEW CAFE

Studio | Durham Architects

Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing
Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing

ARCHITECTS
Studio | Durham Architects

PHOTOGRAPHS
Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing, Christian Sauer

YEAR
2009

LOCATION
St. Louis, United States

CATEGORY
Coffee Shop

Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing

Text description provided by architect.

Terrace View Café has a special location within downtown St. Louis, Missouri’s newest urban park, Citygarden.

Studio | Durham Architects was invited into the Citygarden project to design a café building and a maintenance building on the site.

Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing
Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing

The café by Studio | Durham appears equally as notable and successful as the pieces of art within the sculpture park, but distinguishes itself as a building among art.

The café by Studio | Durham appears equally as notable and successful as the pieces of art within the sculpture park, but distinguishes itself as a building among art.

Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing
Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing

The Gateway Foundation asked Studio | Durham to create a café space to seat 100 customers, to incorporate a large bronze relief by Leger, and include space in the interior for a sculpture that must be protected from the elements.

After a few design iterations, Studio Durham settled on a Miesian glass and steel structure on a stone pedestal.

Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing
Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing

The café building has a strong solid base, but blends easily with the language of the park on the open upper level.

The stone pedestal hides the café kitchens on a lower level, and also serves as the mount for the Leger bronze relief. Above, a glass and steel box holds a large open dining space with the protected sculpture.

The simple, minimalist interior extends out through the glass onto a large terrace where the roof cantilevers out asymmetrically to protect outdoor seating from the harsh sun.

The café is located on the north-eastern corner of Citygarden, approachable from within the park or from the streets of St. Louis city.

Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing
Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing

The glass structure allows visitors relaxing views of the garden design and the sculptures placed throughout the park.

The Terrace View Café is a place to appreciate the art and the urban city life, but also a building to be appreciated on its own.

Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing


Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing
Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing
Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing
Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing
Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing
Terrace View Cafe
© Steve Hall at Heidrich Blessing


Terrace View Cafe
east +  west  elevations
Terrace View Cafe
North + South Elevations


Terrace View Cafe
Overall Site Plan
Terrace View Cafe
Overall Site Plan