There is great architecture in St Louis beyond the Gateway Arch designed by Eero Saarinen and completed in 1965. Only 15 minutes west of the arch, the Pulitzer Arts Foundation at 3716 Washington Blvd is certainly worth a visit. Opened in 2001, it was designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando with the local firm Christner Inc. and is Ando’s first building completed in the US. The small art museum was originally planned to display the collection of Joseph and Emily Pulitzer, and now accommodates changing exhibitions.

The serene design provides a place to contemplate art and nature. Organized by two long concrete volumes with a reflecting pool between them, visitors are drawn through one space and into another. A floating concrete plane above the upper level shades the space and helps to identify the building from a distance. Known for his sensitivity and skill at detailing cast in place concrete, Tadao Ando has made the most of the site. The spaces are simple yet feel very unusual at the same time. Ando said that “if I can create some space that people haven’t experienced before and if it stays with them or gives them a dream for the future, that’s the kind of structure I seek to create”.

An exhibit on display when we visited presented the work of Mona Hatoum, a London based artist born to a Palestinian family in Beirut. She explores the contradictions and uncertainties of modern society.

In the courtyard you’ll find the permanent installation of Richard Serra’s corten steel sculpture “Joe” named for Joseph Pulitzer Jr. who commissioned the sculpture in 1970. Ando collaborated with Serra and with Ellsworth Kelly on the installation of their works of art.

About 3 minutes’ drive from the Foundation is the cafe and bakery Like Home, run by a mother and daughter from a small city just east of Paris. Open for breakfast and lunch, they have a great selection of pastries and sandwiches served in a casual and charming atmosphere.

Take some time to see the contemplative spaces Tadao Ando has created here in St Louis.

You can find information about the Foundation here:

https://pulitzerarts.org/

Update: Really sorry to hear that the Like Home Cafe is closed. Please suggest alternative cafes with your comments.