DG2 Design designed the campus landscape for the 96,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Center at St. Louis Community College’s Florissant Valley campus — a state-of-the-art facility combining short-term career training with degree and certificate programs in STEM, advanced manufacturing, engineering, technology, and technical trades.

From Parking Lot to Campus Destination

Before the Advanced Manufacturing Center was built, this corner of the Florissant Valley campus sat underused as a surface parking lot. DG2 Design’s landscape architecture design transformed the site into a vibrant campus hub. The entry plaza features custom precast benches arranged to encourage both collaboration and individual study, with a flexible layout that accommodates campus events and activities. Two accessible roof terraces extend that outdoor experience upward, serving as open-air classrooms outfitted with the same custom precast benches and plantings that unify the overall design.

Green Roofs That Work

Over 5,000 square feet of vegetated green roofs bring functional beauty to the building. Students and faculty in adjacent classroom and laboratory spaces enjoy views of native plantings that shift with the seasons. Beyond aesthetics, green roofs reduce the need for below-grade stormwater infrastructure on campus — a sustainable approach that lowers long-term environmental impact and supports the College’s broader commitment to responsible land stewardship.

A Native Landscape Rooted in Place

Throughout the site, the planting palette draws on more than 15 native tree species, complementing the existing mature tree canopy and establishing a low-maintenance, high-interest landscape that reflects the ecology of the St. Louis region. Seasonal color and texture keep the campus grounds engaging year-round while minimizing ongoing maintenance demands.