AIA St. Louis honors 2025 design award recipients for excellence in architecture and craft

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) St. Louis Chapter celebrated outstanding design achievement during its 2025 Design Awards, held at the Center of Contemporary Arts (COCA). The annual event recognizes exemplary projects in architecture, interiors, unbuilt work, small projects, drawings, and craft.

This year’s jury was led by distinguished professionals, including Maija Kreishman, FAIA, principal at Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, who chaired the Architecture and Unbuilt categories; Timothy Trotter, president of TROCOFAB, serving as Craft Jury Chair; and Perry Kulper, professor at the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, who chaired the Drawing category.

ARCHITECTURE AWARDS

Distinguished Award – Social Progress

DOORWAYS Housing & Administration

Trivers

Client: DOORWAYS | General Contractor: BSI Constructors | MEP Engineer: G&W Engineering | Structural Engineer: KPFF Consulting Engineers | Civil Engineer: Civil Design, Inc. | Landscape Architect: Arbolope Studio | Photography: Sam Fentress; Serhii Chrucky / ESTO

Distinguished Award – Adaptive Reuse

Russ Burns Building – Clayco Home Office

Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC)

Client: Clayco, Inc. | General Contractor: Clayco, Inc. | Structural Engineer: Uzun + Case | Civil Engineer: Stock + Associates | Plumbing Engineer: G&W Engineering | Signage & Artwork: KO & Company | Custom Millwork: Martin Goebel | 3D Print Artwork: Printerior | Interior Plantings: Ambius | Photography: LJC; Eric Laignel

Honor Award

Market Center of the Ozarks

Patterhn Ives LLC

Client: Northwest Arkansas Food Systems | General Contractor: CDI Contractors | Civil & Landscape: Ecological Design Group | Structural Engineer: Martin/Martin Engineers | MEP Engineering: HSA Engineering | Lighting: H2LTG | Signage & Graphics: Design Ranch | Photography: Sam Fentress

Merit Award

SCAD River House

Mackey Mitchell Architects

Client: Savannah College of Art and Design | General Contractor: Clayco, Inc. | Landscape Architect: Mandel Design, LLC | Structural Engineer: Tharpe Engineering Group | Civil Engineer: Hussey Gay Bell | Mechanical/Electrical/Fire Protection: Salas O’Brien | Lighting: Power Design | Photography: Sam Fentress

Above: Interiors Merit Award winner- a warm and welcoming reception. 4300 E. Camelback by Lamar Johnson Collaborative. Photo | LJC

INTERIORS AWARDS

Honor Award

The Clover at Olive Crossing

HOK

Client: Keeley Properties & KEAT Properties | General Contractor: Keeley Construction | Furniture Dealer: Continua | Photographer: Alise O’Brien

Merit Award

Kings Hill | Brown & Crouppen

HOK

Client: Third Man Development | General Contractor: Paric Corporation | Structural Engineer: KPFF | MEP Engineer: Design-Build | Furniture: CI Select | Demountable Partitions: Maars Living Walls | Photography: Sam Fentress

Merit Award

4300 E. Camelback

LJC

Client: Clayco, Inc. | General Contractor: Stevens Leinweber Construction | MEP Engineer: Energy Systems Design | A/V Engineer: Coltrane Systems | Interior Design: Lamar Johnson Collaborative

UNBUILT AWARDS

Distinguished Award – Community Impact

“The Glade” – Steinberg Pavilion and Rink Reimagined

Christner Architects (Prime Architect) and Snow Kreilich Architects (Design Architect)

Client: Forest Park Forever | General Contractor: BSI Constructors | Landscape Architect: Hoerr Schaudt | Structural: KPFF | Civil: David Mason & Associates | Lighting: RBLD | Community Engagement: Vector Communications | Renderings: Snow Kreilich; Hoerr Schaudt

Honor Award

Caroline Residence

No Other Way

Client: Confidential

Merit Award

Powell Hall Renovation and Expansion

Christner Architects and Snøhetta (Design Architect)

Client: St. Louis Symphony Orchestra | General Contractor: BSI Constructors | Structural: KPFF | MEPFP: McClure Engineering | Civil: David Mason & Associates | Theatre Planning: Schuler Shook | Acoustics: Kirkegaard | Lighting: Reed Burkett | Renderings: Snøhetta

DRAWINGS AWARDS

Honor Award – Walls of Washington — AVV A

Honor Award – Of Earth, Water and Sky — Cody Heller

Merit Award – On an Open Field — Nneoma Asinugo

CRAFT AWARDS

Honor Award

Structural Brick Arches in Contemporary Chapel

HKW

Client: Saint Louis University | General Contractor: BSI Constructors | Falsework Contractor: BSI Constructors | Masonry Contractor: John Smith Masonry

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Header image: Architecture Distiguished Award winner for adaptive reuse. Russ Burns Building | Clayco home office. Photo | .LJC - credit: Eric Laignel

New multifamily development lands in Central West End

After delivering two multifamily complexes in 2018 -The Euclid and Chroma- KDG is adding another 1.4-acre property to their multifamily portfolio, this time in St. Louis’ upscale Central West End neighborhood.

Sitework began last month at 4545 Laclede Avenue on the seven-story, ground-up, multifamily residential building. Featuring 205 apartments above a secure parking garage, unit floor plans range from studios to two-bedrooms, with plans to introduce “micro-units” to the St. Louis market.

“We had the opportunity to design our interiors while significant cultural changes reshaped how folks live and work. We created micro-units in the 400 square-foot range, and then complemented them with a mezzanine floor of flex office space. The result is functional yet affordable spaces for those seeking a Class A product in the Central West End,” said KDG president, Jason Braidwood.

KDG is partnering with L. Keeley Construction to bring this development to life. Part of the Keeley Companies, KDG and L. Keeley previously partnered on construction of The Euclid’s second floor conversion to apartments and amenity spaces, which was completed in August. KDG plans to partner with L. Keeley on upcoming developments, including Olive Crossing and Cortex K.

“This is what I love to call the ‘Power of One.’ Our construction company and development company coming together to create an amazing project for one of our favorite neighborhoods,” said Rusty Keeley, CEO of Keeley Companies.

Local architect Chris Cedergreen led the design effort with Lamar Johnson Collaborative serving as architect of record and interior designer.

Inspired by the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, the architecture is classical with a modern aesthetic and eclectic spirit. The building’s façade incorporates painted brick masonry with custom wrought iron, filigree, and wood elements. The building form and materials reinforce the context of the surrounding neighborhood and scales down to street-level with European garden-style landscaping in a lush courtyard at the entrance.

The interiors will reflect the same authenticity and timelessness as the exterior design. Bold colors, patterning, and sculptural fittings will add richness and texture, marked by graphics and artwork that evoke curiosity, whimsy and interest.

KDG chose the Central West End for its new, highly amenitized community due to the neighborhood's multiple places to work, exercise, gather, relax and entertain. The development will complement the neighborhood by offering a full suite of amenities; including a hearth room, curated gallery wall, club lounge, pool terrace, outdoor grilling island, fitness studio, yoga studio, golfing green and a first-of-its-kind, flex-office mezzanine. The space will feature individual and collaborative workspaces and “Zoom” meeting spaces for residents to create and produce outside of their residence.

“We were seeing this trend well before COVID. Our residents require flexible work-from-home environments as secure as they are collaborative and communal. The property will be industry-leading in this regard,” said Braidwood.

Along with developing the property, KDG will lease the building through its in-house property management team. The team’s property management portfolio includes The Euclid, Clayton on the Park, Chroma and Hue - set to open in late 2020.

“Our team was best-in-class upon opening The Euclid and Chroma three years ago, but the culture and systems implemented through the Keeley-Koman merger have made us that much stronger. Combine that with this building’s location and amenities and you have what I think will be the premier residential community in St. Louis,” Braidwood said.