Sponsor Spotlight: Arcturis
Posted by [email protected] on Mar. 23, 2026 / Subscribe 0
Arcturis is a full-service, women-owned design studio with nearly five decades of experience helping clients plan, design, and brand environments that support how people work, learn, heal, and connect. Their interdisciplinary team brings together planning, architecture, interior design, brand experience, workplace strategy, lighting design, and landscape architecture, allowing them to plug in seamlessly with engineering and specialty partners on projects ranging from highly technical facilities to adaptive reuse and workplace transformations.
Headquartered in St. Louis, with newly acquired partner, Square Feet Studio in Atlanta, Arcturis offers partners expanded reach across the Midwest and Southeast. Their new Atlanta studio enhances our portfolio with additional award-winning hospitality, food and beverage, adaptive reuse, and multifamily interiors. Their entire team is committed to human-centered design and long-term relationships that make great projects possible.
Notable Projects
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St. Louis Community College’s Meramec Campus transformation introduces two future-ready academic hubs, each advancing student learning in distinct but complementary ways. The new Financial Services Education Center focuses on fintech, entrepreneurship, and workforce development, while the Emerging Technology Center supports sustainable sciences, advanced engineering, and maker spaces. Together, these new facilities, along with a reimagined intellectual commons from the former library, green rooftop, greenhouses, and a native prairie landscape, create a LEED Silver-targeted, living-learning environment that connects students more closely to both industry and nature.
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Optimist Hall, a 60,000-square-foot adaptive reuse of an 1881 textile mill along Charlotte’s light rail, transforms a historic industrial shell into a vibrant food hall and gathering destination, with 15 stalls, a main bar, brewery tasting room, three restaurants, and generous outdoor dining.
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New Leaf Symbiotics, a bio-agricultural company advancing plant health through PPFM technology, partnered with Arcturis and HOK St. Louis to design its first custom 26,000‑square‑foot headquarters. The facility combines 12,600 square feet of specialized research labs with 12,175 square feet of office and collaboration space. Its layout balances scientific precision with employee well-being through thoughtful planning, natural materials, abundant daylight, and integrated greenery. A secure tour path offers curated visibility into active research, reinforcing transparency and connection between visitors and science in action.
Why They Support SMPS St. Louis
Supporting SMPS St. Louis reflects Arcturis’ belief that strong projects begin with strong relationships, and that marketing and business development are critical design disciplines. SMPS brings together the people who shape how clients experience our industry, creating a space where marketers, business developers, and technical leaders can learn from one another, elevate best practices, and ultimately pursue work more thoughtfully and strategically.
This partnership also aligns with Arcturis’ core values around community, collaboration, and inclusion: engaging with SMPS allows the studio to contribute to a shared marketing knowledge base, support peer-to-peer learning, and stay connected to the evolving needs of clients and partners in the region. For Arcturis, investing in SMPS is a way of investing in the broader A/E/C ecosystem; strengthening the networks, skills, and perspectives that make integrated teams more effective and the work more impactful.
Advice for Emerging AEC Professionals
Focus on learning, not perfection. Seek out projects, roles, and relationships that stretch your skills, and stay curious about the “why” behind decisions: from how teams pursue work, to how clients measure success, to how end users experience the spaces we create. The most impactful professionals tend to be the ones who ask good questions, build strong listening habits, and stay open to feedback. This is a successful combination that leads to impactful ideas, stronger collaboration, and enhanced outcomes.
At the same time, treat your career as a marathon rather than a series of sprints. Set healthy boundaries, diversify what “success” looks like for you (beyond titles or awards), and build a support network of peers and mentors you can be honest with about both wins and setbacks. In a high-pressure, deadline-driven industry, the ability to maintain perspective, protect your energy, and show up as a steady, solutions-oriented partner is not only good for your well-being; it is a real professional asset that clients and teams remember.
The Spirit of Arcturis
The spirit of the studio is defined by care, curiosity, and trust. Arcturis’ team shares a deep sense of stewardship, listening closely, asking thoughtful questions, and adapting as projects evolve. They approach each challenge with humility and openness, yet with confidence to advocate for what best serves their clients, users, and future caretakers of each space. This balanced approach allows Arcturis to support long-term impact while navigating present-day realities with integrity.
That same mindset is reflected in the work itself: approachable, collaborative people producing rigorously thought-through solutions. A commitment to doing the homework translates into thorough, well-developed construction documents, holistic design thinking, and day-to-day interactions that make it easier for partners and clients to do their best work; because the team understands that every detail has impact, and that good design is ultimately an act of responsibility as much as creativity.
Additional Information
Two areas that may offer insight are how Arcturis’ team collaborates and the kinds of partnerships they are most eager to build. When Arcturis joins forces with others, they prioritize early alignment around client goals, win themes, and team roles, so that both the pursuit and the project unfold with clarity and cohesion. Clear expectations, responsive communication, and a solutions-oriented mindset guide their approach, particularly in moments of challenge, helping them preserve trust and deliver a unified experience for their clients.
They are also excited to continue expanding their network of collaborators. Arcturis seeks partnerships with engineering and specialty consultants who share our passion for higher education, science and innovation, workplace, community-focused, and mixed-use or hospitality projects. The most rewarding relationships are those grounded in co-authorship—where teams help shape pursuit strategies, thought leadership, and project narratives together. These collaborations not only strengthen the technical execution of Arcturis’ work but also elevate its human-centered impact and clarity for clients and communities alike.
Thank you Arcturis for supporting SMPS St. Louis as a Silver Sponsor!
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