Ladue Horton Watkins High School Ladue, MO
- Architect Hastings + Chive˜a Architects, St. Louis, MO
- General Contractor SM Wilson & Co., St. Louis, MO
- Designer/Artist Bond Architects St., Louis, MO
- Owner Ladue School District, Ladue, MO
- Terrazzo Contractor Missouri Terrazzo, St. Louis, MO
- Photographer FotoGrafi x
“When you walk in the lobby, you know you’re in Ladue High School,” said Peter Steuterman, AIA, with Hastings+Chive Architects of St. Louis. “You don’t need a sign on the wall.” Mr. Steuterman led the architectural team on a significant renovation and expansion of the school’s 64-year-old building in Ladue, MO. The LEED-certified project was completed in time for the opening of the 2018-19 academic year. New STEM and liberal arts expansions were built, and a new grand entry lobby unifies the entire expanded complex with clean lines and a sparkling terrazzo floor.
Strong Identity
According to the architect, the school administration’s goal for the landmark building—a structure of great historical significance—was to preserve the community’s pride in the school. The classic yet modern design provides engaging branding with a perfect custom match of school colors. Punctuating the lobby is a terrazzo medallion that incorporates the school’s iconic bell tower and a set of monumental 12-foot-wide stairs with versatile, communal amphitheater-style benches with inlaid maple seats. Terrazzo in a four-color design continues throughout the new addition.
As Mr. Steuterman noted, a significant volume of work was needed to bring the school complex back to top functionality and up to current educational standards and programming. The project also aimed to establish a sense of the school’s history.
His firm is currently at work on another local high school, restoring and adding to the 1928 terrazzo. “You can’t do that with other flooring systems,” he said, adding that he likes to imagine “an alum walking back in 40 years later with his grandchild, and saying, ‘I walked these same floors.’ That’s part of what terrazzo provides—you can’t put a dollar figure on that.”
Investing in History
“Schools are prime candidates for terrazzo because of the sense of history it brings,” said Mr. Steuterman. “You can’t put a monetary figure on that timelessness, but it provides a return. When you really want sparkle and shine and a sense of community and to celebrate history, terrazzo is hard to beat.” He added that it is easily maintained compared to other surfaces.
“Essentially, when you invest in terrazzo, you invest in your building, your community, and your history,” he said, observing that St. Louis has an immense number of terrazzo floors in schools. “It’s a great product that gives the opportunity to establish history, aesthetics, and the sense of community.”
The terrazzo contractor, Missouri Terrazzo of St. Louis, received a 2020 Honor Award from the National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association for the project.