2026 AIA/CES Conference Session Participation Form »
Monday | June 1, 2026
No self-driving allowed. You MUST be registered for the conference to attend a tour.
You must meet buses at the hotel. Be sure to collect your conference badge prior to meeting the bus.
**Tour Return is an estimate only**
Sign-up
Tour 1
|
10:45 AM
|
Meet Bus
|
|
11:00 AM
|
Depart Hotel
|
|
3:30 PM
|
Arrive Back at Hotel
|
Spoede Elementary School
The new Spoede Elementary School for Ladue Schools in St. Louis, replaces its outdated namesake in phased construction on the same site. Academically, students are grouped in spatially varied and flexible cohort neighborhoods, designed to permit a shared ownership of space. Effective planning allows faculty to choose the right space, or learning setting, for the right learning task. Spatial variety in each of the five-section, grade-level neighborhoods comes in the form of:
- One pair of more traditional classrooms/studios
- One pair of “open” classrooms/studios that can be closed via operable glass walls
- A flexible open “wet lab” that provides space for experimentation
- A flex/presentation space allowing for formal or impromptu presentations
- Two glass-fronted small group spaces allowing 5-6 students to work collaboratively on projects or resource faculty to work one-on-one with students (push in model)
- Two “mindfulness” nooks that provide an individual space for calming, personal reflection, or quiet study
- Dedicated grade-level storage
- Inclusive toilet rooms
Building planning eliminates cross-traffic between academic neighborhoods allowing each to operate independently and permitting students to freely move to shared areas like the commons, gym, or art. As a result, every square foot in each neighborhood is a learning space increasing overall efficiency and effectiveness. The design team found a clever way to retain the more recently built existing gym, stage and support spaces saving well over $2.5 million in construction cost. Exterior walls are site cast tilt-wall panels with embedded thin brick saving time and the need for perimeter steel while also benefiting the construction of a required ICC 500 storm shelter. Phasing was effectively managed keeping the existing school in operation throughout the construction process.
Learning Objectives:
- Learn about the collaborative planning process that led to this innovative elementary school.
- Attendees will see firsthand how the planning allows teachers to own and use every square foot of their grade-level area, using the right space for the right instructional mode.
- Learn about the complex phasing strategy that allowed students to safely remain on campus while their school was demolished and reconstructed around them.
- Hear from district leaders on how this project fits into their overall revitalization of all district facilities.
Lindbergh High School
Inspired by the physical need to connect disparate buildings on the existing “California-style” campus, the new 3-story Lindbergh High School addition employs a simple, formal gesture that physically connects three existing buildings on the campus. The addition presents a new front door to the campus and gives the building an identity on the site. A central spine of circulation and community space links existing and new, uniting a sprawling campus into a single building in support of a tight knit community. A variety of flexible spaces, both grand and intimate, serve as the infrastructure for new pedagogies and student-centered learning. Nine collaboration spaces distributed throughout the building are in support of project-based learning, each paired with 3-4 classrooms with glass garage doors that blur the boundaries of the traditional classroom and offering valuable multi-functional real estate for teachers and students. The renovated high school offers flexible space that can evolve with their changing needs, increased safety and security, and a building that fosters community connections.
Learning Objectives:
- Learn about the inclusive planning process and the primary planning strategy that solved the fundamental task of uniting disconnected, disparate, and siloed buildings into a unified, connected, community-focused campus while simultaneously creating forward-leaning learning environments.
- Learn how the design team collaborated with the school district to reposition an underappreciated portion of the campus into the “Expo” which consolidates multiple collaborative, hands-on spaces for making and doing creating new synergies between previously disconnected programs.
- Lindbergh High School’s "Power Lunch" is a dedicated, extended lunch period designed to foster community, allowing students to socialize, connect with teachers for help, and attend club meetings during the school day. It has become the cornerstone of LHS’s Character Education and Social Emotional Learning program. Learn how building planning shifted to support this successful culture-building initiative.
Lindbergh Idea Center
Located in the iconic circular former high school library, the new Lindbergh Idea Center, for the first time, brings together Lindbergh’s elementary school LEAP program as well as the St. Louis Regional Program for Exceptionally Gifted Students also known as PEGS. Via a facilitated workshop process a committee of administrators, faculty, parents, and students agreed that principles around spatial variety, flexibility, collaboration, supporting “making”, and the display of student work were paramount. Renovated down to bare structure, the new 22,000 square foot facility completely reimagines what was a spatially static space into one that is as dynamic as the program it supports. Partially open classrooms/studios and specialty spaces are arrayed around the perimeter with large and small group spaces occupying the center. All spaces are conceived of as places to work and create and must support the Idea Center’s innovative programs that stress the acquisition of future-ready skills. Organic shapes, colors, and materials reflect the fluid nature of the work within while also suggesting new possibilities for how learning might be organized and supported.
Learning Objectives:
- Experience a facility as innovative as its educational model, to understand how planning spatial variety, flexibility, and collaboration support project-based learning and innovation in gifted education.
- Understand the critical role of engagement with stakeholders to shape the vision and fruition of a forward-thinking educational facility.
- Witness the features of the individual Learning Studio which supports lecture, small group collaboration, individual work, and making in an agile learning environment.
- Identify the planning and operational criteria for the gifted education facility connected to the high school, highlighting synergies, shared resources, and unique needs for the diverse population sharing a campus.
Lindbergh High School & Lindbergh Idea Center Presenters:
Nick Perry, AIA, LEED AP, Associate Principal, Perkins&Will
Nick is an Associate Principal and architect with Perkins&Will who has dedicated his career to designing learning environments for schools and universities across the country in hopes that every student finds in their educational experience the same passion, sense of belonging, and life-changing opportunities that he did. Nick guides school districts and universities through strategic planning and design of innovative and future-ready learning facilities to propel future generations.
Steve Turckes, ALEP, AIA, LEED AP, Principal, Perkins&Will
Steven firmly believes in the power of education and educational environments to change lives. During his 35-year tenure at Perkins&Will, he has shaped educational facilities throughout the United States, and around the World. Steve’s body of work reflects his focus on connecting the knowledge and experience of educators with the energy and enthusiasm of students and communities to support innovative educational missions and spaces. His process is infused with the principles of observation, collaboration and knowledge sharing, and he has led teams creating forward-leaning education environments that stand the test of time. Steve has authored numerous articles for publication on various aspects of school design and shared his knowledge via numerous conference presentations during decades of practice.
Tour 2
|
11:45 AM
|
Meet Bus
|
|
12:00 PM
|
Depart Hotel
|
|
4:00 PM
|
Arrive Back at Hotel
|
Clayton High School
Caseyville Elementary School
The new Caseyville Elementary School is a state-of-the-art PreK–4 facility designed to provide a modern, inclusive, and community-centered learning environment. Designed by FGM Architects and constructed by Holland Construction, the $20 million project replaces the original school on the same site. The building features larger classrooms, expanded space for support services, a modern gymnasium/cafeteria, dedicated conference rooms, improved restroom facilities, enhanced indoor air quality systems, and organized parent/bus drop-off areas for improved traffic flow. The fully ADA-compliant design ensures accessibility for all students and visitors. A prominent lobby mural—designed using images of actual Caseyville students—celebrates the spirit of the community with positive messaging in both English and Spanish. The site also includes the newly constructed Caseyville Public Library adjacent to the school, symbolizing a strong partnership between the school district and the library district to better serve the community. Building Tour Objectives Showcase Modern Learning Environments Highlight the larger classrooms, updated support spaces, and flexible learning areas that enhance student engagement and instructional delivery. Demonstrate Safety, Accessibility, and Wellness Features Emphasize ADA compliance, improved air quality systems, secure entry points, and upgraded restroom and traffic flow design. Celebrate Community Partnership and Identity Share the story behind the student-inspired lobby mural and the collaboration with the Caseyville Public Library. Communicate Investment and Long-Term Vision Reinforce the district’s commitment to providing high-quality, future-ready educational facilities funded through local and grant support.
Caseyville Public Library
Don’t miss the follow up to this tour on Wednesday, June 3 at 8:00 AM!
Community Partnership: How to Have a Successful Outcome
Versailles Ballroom Foyer
Join us for an engaging and inspiring conversation celebrating the power of community partnership, creativity, and shared identity in transforming educational and public spaces. Discover the story behind the Caseyville Public Library and how meaningful collaboration with the community helped shape welcoming, purposeful spaces that truly reflect and serve everyone who walks through its doors.
Explore how Clayton High School reimagined its library through a forward-thinking partnership that created dynamic, student-centered environments featuring highly flexible meeting spaces, restorative zones that support student wellness and mental health, and innovative areas designed for both collaboration and independent learning. Learn how the school’s connection to a shared community gym further strengthens the relationship between students, staff, and the broader community, creating spaces that extend beyond the classroom and foster belonging for all.
Connect with educational leaders, architects, and decision-makers while gaining fresh ideas, practical insight, and real-world inspiration for creating vibrant, inclusive environments where students, educators, and communities can learn, connect, and thrive together.