Sam Fox School launches Design Openings in Covenant Blu Grand Center Neighborhood

“Everything Under the Sun” is a large-scale steel sculpture that will be installed in early 2026 in a lot at the intersection of Delmar Boulevard and Leonard Avenue, at the northeastern edge of the Grand Center Arts District. The concept for the installation was inspired by the roughly east-west orientation of St. Louis streets and their alignment with sunrise and sunset throughout the year. The installation includes a monumental steel sculpture that will allow sunlight to filter through in perfect alignment with the city’s street grid during sunrise and sunset on specific days each year. The experience will be enhanced with regular public programs tied to sunrise and sunset and community experiences on the site.

“Everything Under the Sun” was conceived by Jonathan Stitelman, senior lecturer in architecture and urban design, who led a team including Becca Leffell Koren, senior lecturer in communication design; Max Bemberg, project architect; RJ Hartbeck, photographer and storyteller; Josh Levi, sound design lead; and Chris McCrossan of Trocofab. Their proposal was selected by a jury of local community stakeholders.

Stitelman came up with the idea while he was experimenting in the school’s wood shop. “I wanted to make something with care that was both massive and delicate, solid and ephemeral,” he said. “My hope is that this singular object can become a place for gathering, storytelling, and sharing a sunset.” The proposal included an animated map that illustrates how the sun’s alignment throughout the seasons matches to the alignment of city streets. “By showing how someone a few streets over is experiencing the same thing — the sun setting into the city — we want to create this shared moment that builds connection,” he said.

The installation is sited on property owned by the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, a key player in the transformation of the Grand Center Arts District. The foundation has committed over $50 million in capital and programming funds to support community development, placemaking, and arts infrastructure, particularly in the district’s eastern edge.

In addition to the professional team, the school’s Office for Socially Engaged Practice has selected three graduate student fellows to work on the project: Master of Architecture candidate Annamarie Olsen, MFA in Visual Art candidate Dallas Spears, and Master of Architecture/Master of Urban Design candidate Christopher Tobin. “The steps we’re going through to make this project a reality offer a lot of real-world experience,” Gregory Cuddihee, project manager of public design projects shared. “The fellows have met with the city, they’re looking into programming partnerships, working through marketing, doing site analysis, studying renderings and what the sun is doing on a given date. The best part is that they are working together and exploring interests they might not have been able to in the classroom.”

Matt Bernstine, director of the Office for Socially Engaged Practice, said that by “aligning design, community, and the rhythms of the natural world, we’re not just building installations, we’re building a place to bring people together across St. Louis.”

“The Sam Fox School has done a tremendous job bringing together talented faculty to harness creativity for this collaborative initiative,” said Cara Starke, executive director of the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. “We are thrilled by their innovative projects that enrich our city while enhancing the student experience.”

The initiative is made possible with funds from an endowment established by Emily Rauh Pulitzer to support collaborative projects between WashU and the Pulitzer Arts Foundation.