GARDEN UNDER THE BRIDGE
Grand Metrolink Station, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.

Stainless steel, integrated lighting, and formed concrete plaza floor.
20’ H x 50’ L x 50’ W

The Scott Avenue Transit Station, which serves St. Louis’s Grand MetroLink, is located beneath the Grand Avenue Bridge. This integrated sculptural environment incorporates designed lighting to create a bright, open, and safe atmosphere for commuters. The influence of natural shapes and lines softens the Plaza site, reinforcing the welcoming tone of the space. The artist’s concept uses the curvilinear lines of nature to drive the design, creating a “garden” with concrete, steel, and light. The two sculptural ‘seed pod’ forms create a gateway to the station. The gateway forms are semi-transparent, allowing natural light to run through. The stream of light one sees during the day becomes a glowing blue light at night, which radiates from the forms and illuminates the entire plaza. The lighting embedded in the organic paving design works in concert with the sculpture and is the "night-blooming flower" of this “Garden Under the Bridge.”

Commissioned by METRO, St. Louis, MO.

Architecture: Austin Tao, AIA, St. Louis, MO
Landscape Architecture: The Lawrence Group, St. Louis, MO

Photos by Dan Donovan.