w|c studio participated in the Steedman Fellowship competition to transform a former ice factory into an incubator for growth in a decaying St. Louis neighborhood. Capitalizing on the open land and vacant buildings in the area, w|c studio proposed planting the vacant land with raised gardens and program the vacant buildings as year-round greenhouses.

The former icehouse will house a training center where residents learn how to grow, process, and distribute food. It will include aquaculture, vermiculture, and community composting. The fruits and vegetables will be sold on site as well as through fruit box delivery to homes throughout St. Louis.

Utilizing cost effective improvement strategies, brightly colored planter boxes were affixed at each window. A giant skylight brings light down into the dark interior, enabling the space to be used for teaching and meeting spaces.