Hear more about Powell Hall’s rebirth on The 314 Podcast.
“Orchestras are very much a reflection of their community,” says Marie-Hélène Bernard, president and CEO of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO).
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Ten years ago, when Bernard arrived in St. Louis from Boston, where she held the title of executive director of the Handel and Hayden Society, she says she discovered one of the finest music halls in the country—and a music organization that speaks to the heart of St. Louisans. “I saw beauty and history and wonderful acoustics,” she adds.
Under the leadership of Emily Rauh Pulitzer, chair of the SLSO’s Powell Hall Task Force, Bernard was charged with exploring a renovation of the building, bringing a decades-long dream to life that meets audiences in the way they consume music now.
Opened on September 19, the $140 million expansion and renovation unifies Powell Hall with a 64,000-square-foot addition known as the Jack C. Taylor Music Center, named after the late founder of Enterprise Mobility, who was a dedicated supporter of the SLSO. The new space features a 4,000-square-foot education and learning center, rehearsal rooms, dressing rooms, a recording studio, a three-story lobby, and gathering areas for before and after performances. The expansion is part of a $155 million capital campaign to cover the project costs, ongoing building expenses, and an additional $15 million toward its endowment fund.
“We worked with a task force of trustees, experienced staff and staff musicians, architects and advisors to create a plan that included everything from expansion to system upgrades,” says Bernard. “We wanted it to be beautiful. But it had to operationally support our mission of making Powell Hall more accessible and inviting.”
Keeping it Local
The six-year-long process began in earnest after Snøhetta was selected out of a field of 36 candidates as design architect and landscape architect. This renowned firm, based in Oslo, Norway, designed the National September 11 Museum Pavilion at the World Trade Center in New York City and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, among other monumental projects.
Their charge was to add a new lobby and back-of-house expansion to provide educational facilities, improved musician and back-stage spaces, and an enhanced overall experience. The original cramped, awkward entry and tight lobby were moved to an expansive new entrance with an enormous multi-paned arch inspired by the undulated shapes of instruments. The arched window resembles St. Louis’s most enduring and world-famous landmark.
St. Louis-based Christner Architects was selected as the architect of record through the same rigorous process as Snøhetta, who recommended them for consideration during the proposal phase.
Anna Leavey, owner of St. Louis-based Anna Leavey, LLC was hired to oversee the project. With her extensive background working in architecture firms and as an owner’s representative for organizations such as Panera Bread, BJC HealthCare, Gateway Arch Park Foundation, and Great Rivers Greenway, she guided the design and construction process so that the project budget, schedule, and goals were met or exceeded.
“Even though we had been working on this project for nearly six years, the SLSO had to vacate Powell Hall for two years, creating a tight schedule,” she says. “We continued design work throughout the pandemic and brought in BSI Constructors as the general contractor early on because of their expertise working with cultural institutions—and to get ahead of what we knew would be logistical challenges.”
Working ahead required many leaps of faith and extensive due diligence, says Leavey. A great example was the relocation of electrical systems. “Staff would literally run around and turn things off during a performance,” says Leavey. “Now, there’s one central plant, located away from the stage, to control everything.”
“It was an incredible collaboration,” adds Stacey Wehe, a managing principal at Christner. “From figuring out how to create the curvilinear shape at the entrance to sourcing contractors and subcontractors, and documenting everything—systems, materials, sinkholes, seating—the complexity was endless. Each day, something new was uncovered with countless discrepancies between the original drawings of this century-old building and what we found. This was truly a team effort.”
The biggest challenge was the pandemic, which hit shortly after Christner was hired to begin executing the design. “There were so many questions about the long-term status of this project with no answer in sight,” says Wehe. “The SLSO never gave up on its vision, even after prices started rising when we were able to resume work.”
Between replacing the stage floor and Education and Learning Center with white oak and new auditorium carpeting in the rich crimson so familiar to concert-goers, repainting the entire building interior with PPG’s Duration Satin in Soleil 1093, and cleaning the chandeliers and gold-leaf moldings, Wehe and her team sourced the contractors and materials for the renovation and expansion. And, wherever possible, they sourced locally.
“We live and breathe Missouri,” she says. “We know exactly where to get materials for building, finishes, and exteriors. We have an architect on staff who actually cast the concrete for the floors. We worked with St. Louis-based Niehaus Building Services who duplicated, on-site, much of the ornate plasterwork trim in the symphony hall for the expansion. We decided that the new exterior should be brick so it would feel like it’s part of Powell but also feel organic and modern. There aren’t brick foundries left in St. Louis, so we ended up sourcing it from Utah.”
Powell Hall is known for its great acoustics, but there was still room for improvement. The rear wall of the orchestra floor was reshaped. Curved acoustic panels were added to better disperse sound throughout the auditorium floor. The theater seats were replaced with identical looking, but slightly larger versions that are spaced out for more legroom. They, too, were upholstered in the crimson color Powell Hall is known for, except this time in 100 percent polyester, a little less scratchy than their mohair predecessor.
“Accessibility was paramount,” says Bob Johnson, an associate principal at Christner. “Between removing some seating, adding bathrooms and elevators to every floor, and creating a barrier-free entrance with a safe and easy drop-off, we focused on creating an environment that works for anyone who attends an event here, especially the mobility challenged.”
“We toiled and figured out how to execute everything perfectly,” says Wehe. “It’s one of the most important projects to happen to St. Louis,” adds Johnson. “We are so proud to be a part of it.”
Big Wins for a Very Complicated Punchlist
The renovation is a major achievement for this important landmark, as well as for the city. While there was concern that Powell’s iconic white, gold, and cream interior (inspired by the Royal Chapel at the Palace of Versailles) might be altered, or that the acoustics could be compromised, the aesthetic identity remains intact. Accessibility has been greatly enhanced — and the musicians are delighted with the improved acoustics and amenities, including bigger dressing rooms, 12 dedicated warmup spaces, and a music library with double the previous storage capacity.
What’s more, the 4,000-square-foot education learning center can also be used for rehearsals and SLSO’s highly regarded educational outreach programs.
“Between the spectacular spiral staircase in the new lobby and the dramatic new tapestry commissioned from artist Sheila Hicks, we want folks to come as they are for the music and stay for the architecture and atmosphere,” says Leavey. “It was a love affair for everyone involved.”
