THE MATERIALS THAT MADE US
ARCHITECT LUDWIG MIES VAN DER ROHE FAMOUSLY QUIPPED THAT “GOD IS IN THE DETAILS,” AND THOUGH HE WAS REFERRING TO A JOB WELL DONE, WE ARE INCLINED TO CO-OPT HIS SENTIMENT FOR ANOTHER PURPOSE: THERE IS SOMETHING DIVINE ABOUT WALKING A CITY STREET OR STROLLING THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD OF OLD HOUSES AND REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING. ¶ OUR BUILT ENVIRONMENT LOOKS THE WAY IT DOES FOR MYRIAD REASONS: TRENDS, PROXIMITY, AND INNOVATION HAVE ALL LEFT THEIR STAMPS ON ST. LOUIS. LET THE PAGES AHEAD PREPARE YOU TO TAKE IT ALL IN FROM THE GROUND UP, FROM THE CITY'S RICH, DEEP CLAY DEPOSITS TO ITS TALLEST SKYSCRAPER. ONCE YOU START NOTICING THE DETAILS—REPEATING PATTERNS, POPS OF COLOR, DISTINCTIVE MATERIALS THAT DEFINE A CITY—IT'S HARD TO STOP SEEING THEM.…
