For the last several years, WA Architects, a Cincinnati-based black-owned architectural firm, developed a strong focus on health care design, with projects in its hometown, in Pittsburgh and with Washington University Medical Center here in St. Louis.
As its focus sharpened, WA hired architects who specialize in health care design from across the nation in order to grow its business. Two years ago, WA expanded from two locations in Ohio to open a third office in downtown St. Louis, based in part on its ongoing work with the BJC campus renewal project.
The WA Healthcare Design Team was commissioned by BJC Healthcare and Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum of St. Louis to serve as the primary MBE architectural partner for the current 10-year, $1 billion renewal of the main campus of Washington University Medical Center, also consisting of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals.
“We initially started out as part of the team, helping out HOK and other architects that are there,” said Wade Price, principal at WA Architects. “And as we spent more time there, a couple of our people started to shine in the way of their capabilities and already knowing health care.”
For the BJC construction project, Price said Brandi Hamilton is a leader on the logistics team for the project at Children’s Hospital and the Barnes-Jewish north tower, while Yvette Henry is a project architect for the Children’s expansion and renovation.
Price said it has really been a good experience for his firm. While WA has experience on large projects, Price said the campus renewal project is somewhat unique in that everyone is working in the same space simultaneously, with “architects, engineers, construction people and the owner’s representatives constantly having meetings and talking with each other on the fly.”
It’s been a successful trial by fire.
“That’s really been a really good way to learn and work with BJC and learn how they do things as opposed to health care in general,” Price said. “And that prepares us to be able to work with BJC beyond the campus renewal project and other people as well.”
Working in St. Louis is familiar for Price, who earned his degree in architecture from Washington University and worked for local firms for a decade on a number of high-profile projects, including MetroLink, Mercantile Bank, Transworld Dome, and Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, before returning to his hometown of Cincinnati.
When he lived here the first time, Price said he recognized business potential in St. Louis. After he left, Price said he always wanted to come back to build upon the business relationships he started here.
“We opened an office and intend to stay for the long haul,” Price said. “Not only are we going to be working in health care but also in other markets in education, research and community development.”
Price said WA Architects is talking with other local minority firms, including architects and engineers, about possible collaboration opportunities.
“We feel, with the program we are developing between the three offices and educating ourselves continuously about health care design, that we can bring that to some of the firms we work with that may not be as experienced,” Price said. “We look forward to bringing in people from other firms to get that experience as well.”
Price said he is very encouraged by what he describes as the up-and-coming generation of minority architects.
“When this opportunity with BJC happened, we wanted to bring the best that we could find of African-American architects and of other minorities from various parts of the country, because that’s where we had to find people that had health care experience,” Price said.
“I’ve really been impressed with the number of folks out there who are doing quite well and the people we’ve brought in – I am really impressed with their skills.”
For more information on WA Architects, visit wa-architectsinc.com. The St. Louis office is located at 611 N. Tenth St., Suite 600. Call 314-754-4238 or email info@wa-architectsinc.com.
