V Three Studios Selected for STL Arch Addition

V Three Studios has been selected to design a much needed update to the iconic St. Louis Arch. City officials announced the winner of the secret competition in a press conference this morning, but there have been no hints at the winning design until now. Local news agencies have just obtained early renderings that leaked from the highly secured servers of the St. Louis based architecture firm. The images hint at a floating structure that possibly includes two new elevator systems, new lookout/viewing areas, restaurant, performance theatre, shopping center, and at least 15 luxury condos.

When asked about their initial reactions to the design, one long time downtown residents stated "It's about time we update that thing! I have lived down here for 25 years and I always forget the arch is even there. This will bring some attention back to our city."

While some oppose the commercialization of a national monument, Chuck Huss of the STL Downtown Development Group says "This city needs more condos, so I welcome the change. The more condos the better." 

V Three Studios LLC did not comment or respond to repeated emails or phone calls.

E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall

V3 has partnered with McClure Engineering to design acoustical treatments and new lighting solutions for Washington University's E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall.

The E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall was originally built in 1930 to serve as a temple for the Congregation Shaare Emeth. Over the years this amazing hidden gem has served as home to Saint Louis Conservatory and School for the Arts, the St Louis Symphony Community Music School and now Washington University’s Department of Music. The Hall features two Steinway Concert Grand Pianos, historic art deco glass windows, and a 1,575 foot mosaic stage backdrop. 

Known as the 560 Music Center, the building contains three performance spaces: the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall seating 1,115, the Ballroom/Theater seating up to 300, and the Recital Hall seating 75. The building also houses faculty studios, four ensemble rehearsal rooms, practice modules, and student lounge.

National Blues Museum Featured on KMOV

Thanks to KMOV for featuring the National Blues Museum!

“Finally the blues, its rich, storied history, its unique cast of characters and its mojo has a home we can all be very proud of. This genre of music which has influenced so many artists throughout the last century is so very deserving of this museum”
- Devon Allman

See the full article here

Blues Museum Construction Update #1

Construction at the National Blues Museum is well underway. Here are the beginnings of what is sure to be an amazing project.

Kiener Plaza | The Community Vision

After a great meeting last weekend, V Three Studios assisted STLDNA in compiling a list of design recommendations from members of the downtown community. Five crucial points emerged:

1. Open Green Lawn
2. Multi-functional Shaded Perimeter
3. Civic Space
4. Respecting Original Donors
5. Who Will Program Events and Maintain the Plaza

To read the details of these points, please check out the full STLDNA article.

V3 also created a solution that incorporates each of these ideas into a cohesive design.

V3 would like to thank the members of STLDNA and CityArchRiver for the opportunity to participate in the design charrette. Because of them, St. Louis is well on its way to having another amazing project downtown that compliments the Citygarden and the on-going improvements to the Arch Grounds.

We Love This City!

Kiener Plaza Design Charrette

On December 13, 2014, V Three Studios participated in a community design charrette hosted by the Downtown Neighborhood Association at the St. Louis Central Library. The goal of this workshop was to discuss the current proposal for the redesign of Kiener Plaza as presented by CityArchRiver, and ultimately create a list of recommendations from the Community for future design exploration.

For this effort, V Three Studios was tasked with exploring several distinct design schemes in response to a series of potential programmatic elements, including: existing iconic "Runner" statue and fountain; existing courthouse lawn; open-air amphitheater; spaces for public gathering and events.  These designs served as a catalyst for conversations regarding the potential of Kiener Plaza. In the end, the various design options fostered excitement among a Community longing for a collaborative design experience. Based on this collaborative process, V3 has created an additional option which aims to synthesize the discussions into a single cohesive solution. 

V3 looks forward to future workshops and opportunities to enhance our our local community.