JEMA

One of the last remaining 19th century homes located on Olive Street in Midtown St. Louis is adaptively repurposed for JEMA’s new office. Drawn to the history of the site and city, JEMA set out to uncover and celebrate the historic details and construction methods of the 1860’s residence.

With the help of a historian, we undertook a mission to reveal and showcase historic details that normally go unseen. Historic construction methods and textures such as the use of wood lath, wood lintels, brick arches, and load bearing brick walls are brought to the foreground and stand out against the clean, minimal details of the new space. Restoring wood floors, trim, and marble fireplaces, the architects give new life to the existing features of the original home.

In addition to preserving the construction methods of the home, JEMA wanted to maintain the intimate feel of the original home and extend it into the porous, collaborative environment conducive to the design process. Thus, the scale of each room is left unchanged, but thresholds and offices are opened to one another to encourage the exchange of ideas and pleasantries.