DESIGN THAT TRANSFORMS
WORKPLACE
THE WORK ENVIRONMENT SHAPES THE CULTURE OF THE ORGANIZATION. Our design process engages you in purposeful exploration and goal setting to maximize the opportunities for organizational transformation.
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Express Scripts Headquarters
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The Climate Corporation
YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A FRESH APPROACH. We have thinkers, creators, and problemsolvers who bring diverse perspectives to produce insightful solutions.
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YOU ARE SEEKING NEW POSSIBILITIES. 4
We leverage collective intelligence to create transformative designs.
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CI Select Office & Showroom
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For over 50 years we’ve been approaching each new challenge with open minds, a collaborative attitude, and an unrelenting commitment to quality.
DESIGN EXCELLENCE
Our design philosophy emanates from a balance of purpose, context, and resources. Driven by your constraints, we create transformative designs. This philosophy has resulted in numerous AIA Design Awards.
Design Excellence
Thought Leadership
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
We are driven by relentless innovation. Our designers engage in annual research projects, publish their findings and routinely speak at conferences. We strive to not only be leaders in the industry but to bring relevant insight that solves your challenges.
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INTERDISCIPLINARY
Interdisciplinary Intersections
INTERSECTIONS
Working in healthcare, higher education, corporate, civic, and science and research markets has enriched our experiences as a firm and enhances everything we do.
Collaborative Talent
COLLABORATIVE TALENT
Our architects, planners, and urban designers break through studio silos to experience the depth and breadth of all our project types together, making them more informed professionals, entrenched in interdisciplinary collaborations.
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Tarlton Corporation Headquarters
Christner was built on a foundation of investigating and solving highly challenging, complex problems. This background has enabled us to cultivate a rich expertise in workplace design.
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Workplace design shapes the human work environment in terms of workflow, interaction, collaboration, and flexibility. Christner’s design process is founded on decades of investigation and analysis of what makes great workplaces. By applying a strategic focus, we work with you to discover solutions that measurably transform your performance and set new workplace standards.
Culture happens, and the best office cultures happen with intent. Your workplace culture is shaped in part by your facilities. So, it’s important to consider how office design supports your expectations for concentration, collaboration, and client interaction.
Programming is the process of discovering the characteristics of organizations and work that define facility requirements. In its simplest form, it is the recording of baseline information about organizational work structure, head counts, and square footage needed.
CASE STUDY: SCIENCE & RESEARCH
LOCATION St. Louis, Missouri
STATUS Completed 2016
DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER EXPANSION
Putting science on display with transparent labs 10
This laboratory building expansion supports the research center’s mission to “improve the human condition through plant science.” New facilities for 100 scientists enable world-class research in plant biology, bioenergy, and sustainable agriculture.
Project Size
79,000 sf
Christner designed a three-story, 79,000 sf addition, linked to the existing building by a new atrium. We created highly efficient open lab “neighborhoods” directly connected to write-up spaces. Visual connectivity is enhanced with glass partitions, affording transparent views into the labs from the public corridor on the first floor, and opening views to the native gardens and greenhouses from the
Number of Scientists
100
upper floors. Central to the creation of a connected scientific community, the public corridor runs parallel to the garden, linking the atrium, first floor labs, and auditorium.
LEED Status
Gold
“It is a real treat to show people our new facility, and to explain the “why” behind the design, the landscape, and the entire project.” DR. JIM CARRINGTON, PRESIDENT DONALD DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER
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2016 AIA St. Louis Design Award Winner
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Designing Spaces for Collaboration
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| 1 | The atrium provides a shared space between the existing building and the expansion. Dining (Level 1), coffee lounge (Level 2), and informal meeting spaces (Level 3) bring the entire research community together in a central place. Views to the greenhouse complex, the existing building, and the new social garden create a strong sense of place and orientation.
Bringing Together Old and New | 2 | The design of the new building connects and blends seamlessly with the existing building, creating a single research center to foster collaboration. It transforms the scale and precision with which scientists can measure effects of drought, extreme temperatures, and other factors that affect crop productivity, and it houses a robot that automates the interactions of plant genomes with proteins.
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ADDITIONAL DESIGN CONCEPTS
Science on Display | 3 | A major goal of the project was to showcase the science for visitors. Glass-fronted labs along the visitor corridor allow views of the scientific process. Other flexible design features include a grid of outlets for electrical service, data and gases in the ceiling of each floor, allowing laboratory benches and cabinets to be moved and reconfigured as needed. Flexibility in the open office areas is provided by an in-floor wire and cable management system that allows for easy rearrangement of workstations.
+ Connection Between Science and Corporate
Transparency and flexibility characterize the research environment. Views connect lab space to write up space, linking researchers to the greenhouses to the north, the new prairie to the south, and the existing labs to the east. Flexible open labs and write-up areas are designed to increase interaction between teams and to accommodate rapidly changing scientific research methods. + Sustainable Landscape Design
The surrounding landscape expresses the sustainable mission of the institution, demonstrating nature through native plantings as a key part of the site development.
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CASE STUDY: OFFICE RENOVATION & GARAGE
LOCATION St. Louis, Missouri
STATUS Completed 2014
EDWARD JONES, 201 PROGRESS PARKWAY AND PARKING GARAGE
Major renovation transforms office campus 14
Edward Jones needed to renovate an existing office building to complement new facilities on the campus and better serve departments relocating to the new address. The 130,000 sf building was designed for an occupancy of 700 associates in
Project Size
130,000 sf
general office space and also includes food service, mail operations, and Information Services project space. Christner’s design team worked with Edward Jones’ Facilities Design & Construction representatives to review floor plans and refine workstation layouts.
Parking Garage Capacity
704 cars
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2015 & 2016 AIA St. Louis Design Award Winner
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Throughout the project, Christner worked with existing design standards to reflect corporate culture while moving toward more effective and efficient work spaces for associates. For example, we designed conference room blocks as “bump outs� that allow light penetration on three sides and introduce a glass-fronted conference room partition. Our work includes new finishes, ceiling and lighting throughout, restroom renovations, elevator restoration, and coordination of MEP/FP upgrades. We also redesigned the main lobby and stairwells. Exterior improvements include facade modifications, roof replacement, window replacement, and a new entry plaza.
Lobby | 1 | The lobby integrates reception, security, waiting, and branding in a seamless way. Arrival is marked with a double height space with views up to the second floor conference rooms. Security and reception are integrated and positioned on axis with the front door, and wood and stone define warmth to the initial security procedure. Waiting areas are adjacent to branding walls that describe the history and culture of Edward Jones, and these areas have views to gardens and landscape outside.
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The new parking garage is a link for 700 employees at
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the entry to a corporate campus. The garage serves a newly renovated office building that is of historical importance. The garage explored three design strategies - creating a memorable threshold experience, responding to a legendary building in a modern contextual way, and create a building that is dynamic and experiential.
Parking Garage | 2 | The garage and pedestrian link create a portal to the corporate campus. Thus special attention has been placed on the exterior of the garage - especially on the public facades. The garage enclosure is intended to change over time. Depending on a viewers point of view, the garage will open and close in transparency, and as people move around and by the garage, the facade is in continuous perceptual flux.
+ PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE | With the parking garage located
across the street from the renovated office building, a pedestrian bridge was necessary to provide safe crossing for Edward Jones associates on their way to and from work. Instead of having a bridge purely for circulation purposes, the design team suggested activating the bridge by providing seating, tables, and wi-fi, so associates could have impromptu meetings with fellow associates, as well as use the bridge as a destination casual meeting space.
CASE STUDY: WORKPLACE
LOCATION Creve Coeur, Missouri
STATUS Completed 2015
THE CLIMATE CORPORATION
Office space designed for technology-driven workforce 18
This tenant office space supports up to 150 staffers who use digital tools to harness “big data” for the agricultural industry. The company views the work environment as part of their competitive advantage in attracting these high-tech workers. Perks include
Project Size
29,800 sf
lunch service, seemingly unlimited snacks and drinks, and an atmosphere that readily mixes team collaboration, long-distance communication, and social connection. The layout and furniture reflect this culture. Bench-style workstations are grouped along the perimeter window walls. A transparent row of huddle spaces and conference rooms (all with virtual meeting capabilities) are arranged along the north “avenue.” Glass partitions form the walls of these spaces, creating an atmosphere of transparency and connection. The south “avenue” is a more social space. Various seating and table options encourage casual brainstorming, reading, or ongoing chess matches. A large conference room, coffee bar, and library anchor the center core.
Number of Employees
105
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2016 AIA St. Louis Design Award Winner
Design Focused Around Culture 2
| 1 | Throughout the project, the design team worked to reflect corporate culture while creating solutions that promote teamwork, creativity, and productivity in the modern office. The new work environment perfectly expresses the young company’s ethos of openness, collaboration, and constant enterprise.
Open Office 3
| 2 | The zoning of open spaces creates clear view corridors that link principle spaces and allow light to penetrate deep into the space. A transparent row of huddles spaces and conference rooms (left) are arranged along the north avenue. Bench-style workstations (right) run along the perimeter for staff to enjoy the views.
Multi-Function Space | 3 | A central coffee bar links the north and south avenues. It serves as both workplace and social space. A palette of concrete floors and reclaimed wood can be seen throughout.
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CASE STUDY: LAW FIRMS
LOCATION St. Louis, Missouri
STATUS Completed 2010
LEWIS, RICE & FINGERSH, LC
New image reflects law firm’s status 20
This leading law firm sought new office space that would
conference rooms, reception, and corporate gathering
speak to their reputation and stature in the business
spaces. A custom stair connects executive offices on the
community. They specifically wanted a radical departure
24th floor directly to the conference center above.
from their former, traditional office aesthetic. The leasing opportunity on the top six floors of a downtown high-rise demanded a fast-track design and construction schedule of just ten months. Christner’s design team worked with managers to define a
To meet the ten-month design and construction schedule, designers employed a combination of partitions and custom-designed features. A movable partition system, fitted with textured glass, defines conference rooms and offices throughout.
broad range of operational goals, from file management, to the development of secretarial teams, to the creation of a centralized conference center. Designers captured the top floor as the conference center – a space that features a glass barrel vault with views of the city and the river. A central circulation spine links
Project Size
110,000 sf
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Lobby
Conference Room
| 1 | In relocating their offices, Lewis Rice was seeking a striking image that would leave a lasting impression of professionalism, confidence, and success. Clean white marble was installed and contrasted with warm woods and carefully selected art.
| 3 | With the glass barrel vault an existing condition, the designers were challenged with finding the best way to enhance this strong visual element. The function was determined to be for large meetings and receptions. The primary enhancements were two fold: by raising the floor, the dramatic effects of the space was significantly enhanced while allowing for under-floor air and power distribution. Finally, award-winning lighting heightened the special experience, especially in the late afternoon.
Staircase | 2 | Progressing down the stairs from the reception area, the office work spaces used a similar palette of materials, including etched glass for daylight penetration through the perimeter offices.
Living Room | 4 | Each of the office floors includes a “living room� and beverage gallery at the elevator hub. The unique colors and furniture of the living rooms define each of the practice floors.
ADDITIONAL LAW FIRM WORK + GREENSFELDER, HEMKER AND GALE, PC
Christner completed a 19,300 sf renovation of the lobby and conference center on the 20th floor. The design includes amenities such as a bar, cafe, and a location overlooking Busch Stadium and the riverfront. The updated space is a prime setting for hosting all types of events. Teleconferencing technology and flexible meeting space locations allow the firm to hold educational seminars and classes. Overall, the project went beyond aesthetics to change the dynamics of how the office could be used.
+ THOMPSON COBURN
This $2 million conference center on the 35th floor creates a communication network among clients and the firm’s various locations. The center includes nine multi-purpose conference rooms, a reception room, and corporate dining facility. The experience of entering the reception area from the lobby is dramatic: light pours into wide, open spaces both east and west and also through a picture gallery and the boardroom directly ahead to the south. The simple expression of natural materials wood, fabric, cork, stone - all exhibit the high level of Thompson Coburn’s commitment to excellence.
+ SANDBERG, PHOENIX & VON GONTARD, PC
The design goal of this $1.2 million renovation was to transform the offices and the firm itself - through a phased project that would redirect internal dynamics, attract and retain young attorneys, and function more effectively for serving clients. Incorporating a cafe was a key radical change that encourages interactions throughout the firm, providing an amenable environment with dramatic city views, a variety of social settings, and availability to the firm’s conference center. Versatile spaces lend themselves to effective client interactions, and “un-lawyerly” features, including stainless steel, Canadian art glass, and intense color, underscore the transformation.
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CASE STUDY: CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
LOCATION St. Louis, Missouri
STATUS Completed 2007
EXPRESS SCRIPTS
Creating a collaborative work environment - by design 24
Christner has worked with Express Scripts since 1998 to develop headquarters offices that reflect the corporate culture and set the stage for cross-functional team formation and collaboration. Our work for the new corporate headquarters site encompassed
Project Size
340,000 sf
site selection, planning and programming, architecture, site design, interior design, and building signage. Our challenge was to preserve a flexible, collaborative, open work culture while the company doubled in size. The Phase I building is a 340,000 sf office building for a staff of 1,750. We designed the building in a pinwheel configured around
Number of Employees
1,750
a central hub on each floor that consolidates conference rooms and a central break/coffee area. Flexible, open-plan office space occupies each of the building wings. The three-story atrium with monumental stair and bamboo wall is a dramatic focal point and gathering space, connecting various departments.
LEED Status - Phase II
Gold
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The lower level includes a corporate conference center,
The project also includes a new 435-car parking garage
dining room, multi-purpose meeting space, and an
and covered walkway.
important disaster recovery center (to be activated if any of the corporation’s multiple customer service locations were to become inoperable.)
Sustainable design is addressed in the building envelope (including white roofs), site design, and interior furniture and finishes selections. The Phase I project
The Phase II building adds 200,000 sf of open plan
earned LEED Certification. Phase II earned LEED Gold
office floors, including central conference and meeting
Certification - New Construction.
space on each floor. The exterior design reinforces the corporate stature of Express Scripts through bold forms, executed with red brick accented in limestone, aluminum, and glass curtain wall for the atrium, and green-tinted window glass.
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Lobby 2
| 1 | At the juncture of three wings of office space is a three-story lobby where visitors are immediately immersed in the pulse of the company. Employees use bridges, passageways, and a stair connecting three floors as they walk between work areas through the sun-lit lobby. The exposed structure and use of common materials speaks to the hard working midwest culture of the company.
Board Room
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| 2 | “Cook fancy, eat plain� could describe the board room at Express Scripts, where simple lines, practical materials, and hidden state of the art technology speaks to the austere and efficient culture of the company. Initially developed to accommodate a larger board, the design process lead to a deep dive into the needs of an executive team managing a large national enterprise.
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CASE STUDY: URBAN DESIGN
LOCATION St. Louis, Missouri
STATUS Completed 2017
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, MID CAMPUS CENTER
Office building serves as the nexus of the medical campus 28
This 510,000 sf office building is located at a vital intersection of transportation, service, and pedestrian links in the midst of the Washington University Medical Center. It flanks St. Louis’ busiest MetroLink station where daily commuters first enter the medical
Project Size
510,000 sf
campus. The building responds to the adjoining Hope Plaza, while also addressing the less glamorous presence of the central plant to the south. Christner’s design responds to the character of it’s surroundings. The base of the building is clad in cut limestone with warm tones which echo the brick and stone façades of neighboring buildings surrounding Hope Plaza. The 12-story tower is enclosed by a unitized glass and stone curtain wall system. The glass is printed with a subtle frit pattern which provides texture and scale, while improving the solar control performance of the building envelope.
LEED Status
Silver
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The large floor plate is designed on a highly flexible and robust building module. Deployed mainly as office and conference space, the interior is designed around daylight, views, and connections between people as crucial aspects of an effective office environment. Select floors also incorporate “public� gathering spaces along the campus links that are absorbed within the building. Theses spaces will be animated by the daily life of this busy urban campus.
Arriving | 1 | The building connects to and extends the campus link network to the East, accessing 6,000 structured parking spaces across Taylor Avenue. Additionally, the site design includes the drop-off and turnaround loop for the campus shuttle system with critical adjacency to the building lobby, thereby establishing the lobby as the welcome and entry point to the medical campus link and shuttle users.
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Lobby
Employee Cafe
| 1 | The lobby of the new office building acts as a nexus for researchers, students, and hospital staff arriving at the building’s front door. The light-filled space was designed to bring the vibrancy of the medical campus into the building. The feature wall in the lobby is clad in acoustical, cherry veneer panels absorbs sound from the bustling lobby space and defines the visual experience of sipping coffee with colleagues or mingling with fellow co-workers. The same cherry panels reappear on the upper floors as a framework for distinctive elements to support departmental identity and wayfinding.
| 3 | The interior is designed around daylight, views, and connections between people as crucial aspects of an effective office environment. Select floors also incorporate “public” gathering spaces, such as cafes, that connect people with the vibrant outside campus environment and landscaping.
Exterior Façade | 2 | The project’s glass façade was designed to reconcile the conflicting agendas of solar control and interior planning flexibility while providing a contextual middle-scale to the building. The design incorporates ceramic frit in a semi-regular pattern which varies on each façade according to solar exposure. This pattern, overlaid with an aluminum grid outlining the structural frame produces a texture which gives multiple readings depending on the light, sky cover and interior activity.
Workspace | 4 | The building’s plan includes an efficient and flexible floor plate, to support the various departments, and a rigorously programmed core. This includes common-use spaces to unite the departments while providing framework for distinctive elements to support departmental identity and wayfinding.
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“Christner understood that we wanted more than a functional, attractive building. They saw and understood the purpose of our organization, and became our partner to make a lasting impact.” DR. JIM CARRINGTON, DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER
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“By asking the right questions, we were able to deliver an environment that not only met the client’s vision, but also embodied their organizational purpose. It has created a lasting impact.” JEFF RYAN, AIA, LEED AP CHRISTNER
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OUR PROCESS
At every step of design and construction, we integrate a unique approach to ensure the best project possible. From setting the dials for success on day one, to empowering clients as co-collaborators in the process, to rigorous quality control; our process ensures that your project is exceptional.
discovery
programming
schematic design
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Setting the Dials To align project aspirations and design concepts, we bring everyone to the table on day one for a series of workshops. With the full team present, we’re able to vet potential design responses against challenges, cost implications, and schedules. We all leave with a verified basis of design and strategy.
Exploring Options The best designs don’t follow a linear process. We believe the power a collaborative, iterative process has in fostering extraordinary ideas. Developing multiple options allows us to push the boundaries and test preconceived notions; and it always leads to better solutions.
Quality Control
Simplifying the Complex We strive to arm our clients with relevant information so they can make the best decisions for their campus. From Architecture 101 luncheons to educational workshops and expert opinions, we ease your team through the process, translating technical jargon into everyday implications.
design development
construction documentation
Employing a rigorous quality assurance process on every project has led to a reputation for having the best construction documents in the region. Clear definition of roles and deliverables, clash detection software, and third-party quality control reviews contribute to our success. During construction we track where RFI’s originate and what CSI divisions require the most clarifications, we then use those areas as opportunities for firm-wide education and process improvement.
construction administration 35
Analytical Assessment On every project, we work with you to develop an assessment matrix that’s tied to your goals. The matrix will help you weigh design options objectively, reach consensus quicker, and ensure the decisions you’re making hold true to your values and aspirations.
Carrying Out Your Vision Design doesn’t stop in DD. Our designers are involved throughout the entire project, ensuring the design is carried through to the details and executed accordingly in construction.
CORPORATE SERVICES 36
ARCHITECTURE
LABORATORY PLANNING
INTERIOR DESIGN
Christner is respected for contextual design and enduring solutions. To develop well designed buildings that deliver lasting value, we listen, ask questions, and bring clear thinking to crafting design solutions that comprehensively meet client’s goals. For every building, we look for integrated solutions that meet today’s needs while setting the platform for the future.
The design of science and research environments requires a special dedication and understanding of specific functional groups, processes, equipment and variables that must be considered and controlled. Christner’s planning experts work closely to understand the processes, capacities, and sensitivities within the lab to support research program goals and outcomes.
Our interior designers provide the finishing touch – the look and feel that visitors and users experience. They keep abreast of a myriad of products to access aesthetic potential and to meet exacting performance criteria for workplace environments. Working seamlessly with the architectural team, we create welcoming environments for employees that hold up well to the rigors of the workplace environment.
STRATEGIC FACILITY PLANNING
CAMPUS PLANNING
FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENT
Christner’s strategic facility planning service helps corporations deploy facility assets to achieve the highest return on investment.
Christner’s planning focus is geared toward helping decision-makers align facility assets with strategic goals.
To understand how your campus buildings will perform long term, we assess condition: general physical condition, historical maintenance requirements, recent renovations or improvements, and efficiency of building systems.
Christner believes in the power of collaboration where innovation comes from multi-disciplinary team members working together to uncover the potential of a planning or design challenge and responding with creative, pragmatic solutions.
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
GRAPHIC DESIGN
BRANDING & IDENTITY
More than landscape design, Christner’s landscape architects engage in creating functional and beautiful site developments with strong concepts and technical proficiency. This discipline is relevant not only to designing a single building, but to campus master planning, urban design and public realm enhancement, and elevating the built environment of the communities in which we live.
Environmental graphic design is an essential component of the complete facility. A well-conceived, coordinated, and properly executed signage system will help make a complicated facility more accessible and welcoming, while it communicates the client’s brand and image. Christner’s graphic designers also provide services for interpretive displays.
Communication programs and branded environments are an important part of what we do. Our designers, strategists, and programmers help to create a seamless user experience and unified brand impression in the buildings we design.
SPACE PROGRAMMING &
BENCHMARKING
SPACE UTILIZATION
Projects may benefit from understanding the competitive benchmarks of peers and leading facilities. We help construct “best of class” comparisons to provide a foundation for establishing goals for high performing spaces.
In today’s competitive environment, assuring good utilization of space is essential. Christner works with clients to analyze typical utilization metrics, as well as devise custom metrics to provide deeper insights into your specific campus.
SPACE PLANNING
These related services are essential to developing facility recommendations that are rational, data-driven, and supported by the constituencies.
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“The people at Christner are passionate about design and also thoughtful and creative in delivering a holistic solution.” JODI FOLTZ-GAY, EDWARD JONES
Photo Credits: Sam Fentress, John Langholz, Geoff McMahon, Alise O’Brien, Debbie Franke Our Environment: This publication is printed on America-made Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) Certified, 10% postconsumer recycled paper. Our local printer, The Advertisers Printing Company, holds Rainforest Alliance and Sustainable Green Printing Partnerships (SGP) certifications and offset 100% of their energy use through Ameren Missouri’s PurePower program.
TRANSFORMATIVE DESIGN STARTS WITH A CONVERSATION, LET’S TALK. Contact Us: David Kehm, AIA Corporate Market Leader 314.561.4480 | david.kehm@christnerinc.com Stacie Moritz Marketing Specialist 314.561.4406 | stacie.moritz@christnerinc.com
168 N. Meramec Ave., Suite 400 St. Louis, Missouri 63105 | 314.725.2927 www.christnerinc.com