The Patterhn Ives team recently spent an afternoon at the National Building Arts Center (NBAC) in Sauget, Illinois.
Located on the site of the former Sterling Steel Casting Company foundry, NBAC is home to the nation’s largest collection of architectural artifacts. Its holdings encompass materials and building elements from St. Louis and cities across the country, preserving examples of the craft, technology, and ingenuity that have shaped America’s built environment.
Walking through the collection offered our team an unique opportunity to experience these artifacts at a very different scale. Architectural elements that were once viewed several stories above the street can be studied up close, revealing details in material, fabrication, and craftsmanship that are easy to overlook when they are part of a complete building.
For a practice grounded in care and curiosity, the visit was especially meaningful. It prompted conversations about preservation, materiality, and the knowledge embedded in the buildings and the craftspeople who helped construct them. It was also a welcome opportunity to step away from our daily project work, learn together, and spend time as a team.
We appreciate the National Building Arts Center for welcoming Patterhn Ives and for its ongoing work to preserve, study, and share the stories of our built environment.