St. Louis Construction News and Real Estate (CNR)

Companies, July 27, 2009 | 07/27/2009

Arcturis Honored for Edward Jones Concrete

Arcturis, a local, multi-disciplined architectural design firm, has been awarded a 2009 Design Award from PCI (Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute). Arcturis won the award for Best Office Building Project for its work on the Edward Jones North Campus Building in Maryland Heights. The award will be presented at PCI’s annual convention in October. PCI is a Chicago-based national industry organization dedicated to fostering greater understanding and use of precast and prestressed concrete.

 Arcturis was recognized by the industry group for its ability to find a distinctive yet affordable precast concrete solution for the exterior of the six-story, 198,100 sq. ft. steel structure. “The challenge for us was to create the classic yet contemporary look of limestone, but stay within our construction schedule and budget,” explained the project’s architect, Dave Nichols. “We sought alternate materials that would approximate the look of limestone, but at a significantly reduced weight.”

 More than 50,000 square feet of the building’s exterior is now covered with a carbon fiber grid that will not corrode and that saves weight and concrete. The architectural precast materials weigh up to 50 percent less than conventional precast concrete panels, yet yield the same performance and appearance qualities. “Precast helped us make the strong design statement we wanted,” added Arcturis’ Vern Remiger, AIA.

 The Edward Jones facility will house approximately 800 occupants as part of a long-term campus plan that the investment firm is developing over several years. It shares a four-acre site with a 312,500 square foot campus parking garage with capacity for 958 cars. The building also features sun-shading devices, interior light shelves, raised access flooring and direct/indirect lighting.

 In 2008, Arcturis (http://www.arcturis.com) ranked as the region’s largest interior design firm in the St. Louis Business Journal Book of Lists. A registered Woman-Owned Business, Arcturis offers planning and urban design, architecture, interiors, graphic design, facility support services, real estate strategies, landscape architecture and civil engineering services for communities, major corporations, higher education, financial institutions, the hospitality industry and public facilities.