The Deaconess Foundation focuses on building opportunities for child well-being through philanthropy, advocacy and organizing for racial equity and public policy change.  Their new Center for Child Well-Being provides office and meeting space for Deaconess Foundation as well as Vision for Children at Risk and Neighborhood Houses, organizations which share a common mission to improve the lives of at-risk children in the St. Louis region.  Located in the Covenant Blu / Grand Center neighborhood, this 20,000 square foot facility aims to unify the organization’s various missions in a centralized space where visitors can learn, meet, and grow.

The design of the project took cues from the group’s mission, prioritizing gathering spaces.  The community spirit spills out into the site, with meeting rooms, child care areas, and the chapel opening onto courtyards which offer spaces for collaboration, play, prayer and contemplation.

The project’s plant palette includes a diverse mix of species native to the region. A multi-purpose lawn lies at the heart of the site, while outdoor rooms are framed by colorful perennial gardens which provide attractive habitat for pollinators and birds. New canopy trees line adjacent streets, enhancing the pedestrian experience, and a large rain garden at the center of the parking lot collects and treats stormwater run-off from the site.  Flexibility is built into the interior and exterior environments to grow with the group as community needs change and evolve over the years.