Missouri History Museum North Plaza

The Missouri History Museum’s recent building enhancements have earned it recognition as a Green Museum, dedicated to raising awareness about our planet’s finite resources and the impact of human actions.

DG2 Design collaborated with the project team to transform the north plaza into an accessible, welcoming space for visitors of all ages and abilities.

The redesign thoughtfully integrates elements of Missouri’s native landscape, providing seasonal interest throughout the year and guiding visitors visually and physically toward the museum entrance. A key feature of the project is the reconstruction of the monumental stairway, which preserves original design elements while accommodating the museum’s growing visitor base and diverse usage needs. By removing the stairs near the fountain and avoiding the need for a large ramp, we improved accessibility and maintained the historic character of the plaza. Additionally, the lawn was regraded to offer expanded gathering areas for events like the Twilight Tuesday Concerts.

This project reflects our commitment to fostering sustainability and inclusion, reinforcing the museum’s role as a community-centered institution.

Project Team: Tao + Lee Associates, H2Lighting, BSI
Sunset Photo Credit: STL From Above

Old Post Office Plaza

St. Louis, MO

As the landscape architect, Kristy assisted Baird Sampson Neuert Architects (BSN) of Toronto with the award-winning design and preparation of landscape architecture design and drawings for the Old Post Office Plaza in downtown St. Louis. The Plaza, which sits immediately north of the recently renovated Old Post Office, is home to a famous sculpture representing the mythical character of Icarus.

The overall design intent of the plaza is to create a multi-functional downtown urban park. It can accommodate relaxation, lunch crowds, outdoor movies, and art enthusiasts. In assisting BSN, Kristy used landscape solutions and sustainability strategies to interpret the “Journey of Icarus” to complement the master plan vision. In doing so, low maintenance planting solutions were developed that matched the vision desired by the owners of the city block, the Downtown St. Louis Partnership.

The Old Post Office Plaza is located on a brownfield site created by urban demolition and framed on three sides by public streets lined with heritage buildings. While intended to feature the most important, the Old Post Office, the creation of the Plaza, in combination with adaptive reuse and restoration of the nineteenth-century landmark, also serves as an urban catalyst for revitalization and re-inhabitation of the historic city core.

One of the key elements in the success of the urban opera was the harmony between design disciplines. In addition to the composition of the planting palette that portrays the visual and tactile qualities of key settings in our story, the landscape architect served as the eyes and ears of an international team of designers. Keeping a constant open dialogue and a stream of updates and photography, the design team could interact with each other, and the site, as the structures and plantings were fine-tuned. Ongoing tuning has been required as the space and its impact on the urban fabric continue to evolve.

2010 Toronto Design Exchange, Urban Design,

Silver Award 2010 American Society of Landscape Architects,

Honor Award, St. Louis Chapter 2009

Midwest Construction’s Small Project of the Year
*Completed prior to establishing DG2

CITYPARK – St. Louis CITY SC MLS Stadium & District

St. Louis, Missouri

The ownership group for St. Louis CITY FC, the new Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise in St. Louis, had a vision for creating a vibrant mixed-use stadium district in the city’s Downtown West neighborhood. DG2 teamed with architects HOK and Snow Kreilich to design this reality.  The stadium is located within, Downtown West, a resurgent neighborhood and at the western end of the Gateway Mall, which is a corridor of public open space that connects to the Gateway Arch and Mississippi River.

The stadium site and adjacent parking garage lie across the street from historic Union Station and at the end of the Gateway Mall, along The Brickline Greenway linking the stadium to the Gateway Arch and Mississippi River.

The stadium’s scale and form emerge from the surrounding urban context.   The 22,500-seat stadium is open and transparent, with views into the field from the neighborhood and views out to the city from the seating bowl.

St. Louis CITY wants this mixed-use district to catalyze downtown activity 365 days a year. Anchored by a compact stadium that fits comfortably into its urban neighborhood, the district will include spaces for hosting year-round community events, concerts, celebrations, and a variety of outdoor activities.

The 31 acres site includes over 300 trees of 21 different species. The site was strategically designed to keep the stadium’s corners open, we worked with the team to set the elevation of the stadium be accessible at all four corners. The design creates flexible plazas that can host non-game day events ranging from festivals to wedding receptions, including the main 2.9 acre Lou Fusz Plaza . Street-level vendors will have the opportunity to establish stands that face out to the city from the Stadium and the Pitch 314 Garage.

MORE THAN A STADIUM

The stadium district also includes the team’s headquarters, training and performance center, three practice fields, and a fan pavilion and team store. STL City SC will be of a few teams in all of professional sports to have all components in one downtown location. As a result of early planning and creative solutions, the stadium will have four public sides, all reaching out to the community as an inviting entry. Fans will be able to entry the stadium on all sides with a major entry plaza serving as an optimal pre-game gathering space and post-game celebrations. This area will provide better access for fans and allow for the development of a year-round urban hub surrounding the stadium. This will not only allow for the development of a world class stadium, but will transform Downtown West into an urban activity hub open year-round and easily accessible via pedestrian pathways, bicycle and public transit.

• 31 ACRES
• 2.9 ACRE EAST PLAZA
• 300 URBAN TREES (21 DIFFERENT SPECIES)
• 54 PLANT VARIETIES
• 1,600 FEET OF NEW CITY STREETS RESTORED
• 1,800 FEET FROM A METROLINK STATION
• 841 LINEAR FEET OF GREENWAY

AWARDS

2024, Rethinking the Future First Award, Sports & Recreation, CITYPARK

2024, WAN Awards Americas, Public Accessible, CITYPARK

2023, AIA St. Louis Honor Award, CITYPARK

Ballwin City Wide Parks Master Plan

DG2 Design partnered with the City of Ballwin to create a comprehensive City-Wide Parks Master Plan for this vibrant community of 33,000 residents. With a network of seven parks, multiple facilities, and greenways, the plan was driven by valuable community input and professional expertise.

The Master Plan integrated national and industry trends to guide decisions, ensuring a future-focused vision aligned with residents’ and city staff’s shared goals. Key objectives included improving existing parks, identifying new open space opportunities, and enhancing connectivity with additional greenways, trails, and bike routes.

Community engagement was essential to our process. We conducted stakeholder meetings, public gatherings, and a community survey to inform the plan and address residents’ needs and aspirations. Working alongside Hastings & Chivetta Architects and Ballard King recreational facility experts, DG2 Design provided a thorough assessment of current conditions, detailed recommendations for each park and facility, and a proposed pedestrian connections map to support a cohesive, accessible park system.

Client Feedback
“Kristy and her staff were fantastic to work with. They were responsive, attentive to our suggestions, and maintained excellent communication throughout the project.”
—John Hoffman, Superintendent of Parks and Facilities, City of Ballwin, MO

Fogerty Park Master Plan and Phase One

DG2 Design developed a comprehensive Master Plan and phase one construction documents for the revitalization of Fogerty Park in University City, MO. Established in 1928, Fogerty Park has long served the community from its location on 82nd Boulevard in northern University City. With changing needs and aging amenities, the time had come to rejuvenate this neighborhood park to better meet modern standards.

Our design team worked closely with City staff, local residents, and stakeholders to shape the vision for this 11-acre urban site, located adjacent to an elementary school. Through a combination of public online surveys, engagement workshops, and community presentations, we gathered valuable input to guide the final concept. Residents expressed a desire for environmental enhancements, recreational upgrades, and infrastructure improvements.

The plan reflects the community’s vision for an environmentally sustainable and dynamic space. Key proposed features include community garden plots, native plantings, educational signage, permeable pavement, and an outdoor classroom. These elements promote low-impact education and enhance the park’s landscape, supporting a healthy and interactive environment for all ages.