Lake Charles, Louisiana

Design Challenge: 

Provide the residential community with a new Sports Facility that will be compatible with the scale of the neighborhood yet being distinctively identifiable as a community-wide amenity.

Design Solution:

Using familiar materials and a residentially scaled form we gave the building an appropriate scale within the existing residential community.  Architectural detailing was employed that gave the building a distinctly original and fresh look.  Conceived as a black and white composition, the articulated exterior plaster walls combine with the multiple hip roofs and stainless steel curtain wall/front door to provide a very pleasant yet fitting contrast to the very traditional charm of the South Louisiana residential homes of the area. 

St. Martinville, Louisiana

Design Challenge: 

Transform an outdated antebellum Courthouse building into a modern facility while maintaining the unique character of its rich architectural history.

Design Solution:

Originally constructed in 1858 in the South Louisiana Parish of St. Martin, the Courthouse is only one of four (4) antebellum courthouses still in use in the State. Located in a very prominent civic location in the parish seat of St. Martinville the highly used building has a rich history and a distinctive Greek temple façade.

After much study and planning, all exterior plaster was restored, windows were replaced with historic replicas, roofing was changed using slate tiles of original coloration, and the grounds were improved to allow for proper access.  Careful to provide exterior and interior design components that were both sensitive to history yet clearly of today, we embarked upon a journey to tell the design story of the building while providing a facility to meet today’s demands. 

Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

Design Challenge:

Provide a branch bank for Community First Bank in a new market area that would capitalize on the growing local economy and portray an up-to-date image of the bank’s signature plaster and tower look.

Design Solution:

We took advantage of the busy corner lot by using generous amounts of glass that view into the bank lobby.  “Opening-up” the bank in this way provides to both customers and employees a safe and welcoming banking experience.  We provided a literal “twist” to the bank’s signature tower unit by placing it diagonal to the main entry giving it prominence from all angles of approach. Particular attention was paid to the interior materials and surfaces in order to provide a forward leaning look while remaining appropriate for the small-town community served. 

Lafayette, Louisiana

Design Challenge:

Design a mixed-use, income-restricted, work-force neighborhood in downtown Lafayette that, while providing much needed residential space, would act as a catalyst for future development of the area.

Design Solution:

We placed the multi-building layout along a strong east-west axis, giving greatest advantage regarding sun angles. A modern loft aesthetic was employed throughout to provide the forward motion required to revitalize the area.  Live-work units, coffee shops, restaurant and office/community meeting rooms are at street level while the highly sculpted three and four level buildings house apartments above.  All apartments are designed with energy recovery units that help manage humidity levels and keep energy costs to a minimum for the residents of the income-restricted neighborhood.

The Lakes

Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

Design Challenge:

Design a mix-use neighborhood governed by the tenants of the Congress for New Urbanism in a small southern town.

Design Solution:

The Lakes on the Teche is designed to provide a wide range of housing types and sizes all fitting architecturally within the bounds of traditional southern style.  A design code provides flexibility across five housing districts utilizing ten distinct southern home styles.  From Estate homes along the historic Bayou Teche, to Garden homes with porches and picket fences, to Townhomes near the commercial district, residents of The Lakes are able to choose from a diverse set of offerings.  With many of the home sites designed as rear alley access, the streetscapes within the neighborhood provide a pleasant tree-lined living experience along with the four parks dedicated for common use.

The commercial district provides banking, medical, restaurants, retail and entertainment venues giving residents of the town and of the neighborhood pedestrian access to a wide range of services. 

Design Challenge:

Utilizing property to the rear of the existing Church, design a traditional looking facility to house a new flexible seating Church, a new Gathering Area and new Classroom space.

Design Solution:

Primary to the design of the church was the parish’s desire for a flexible worship space with a very generous gathering area. Working with our design partners, Architect’s Design Studio, and Liturgical Design Consultant Marchita B. Mauck, the plan developed around a square shaped worship space with an antiphonal seating arrangement. The altar platform itself is moveable and all seating can be rearranged for various religious rites. The site and the exterior were designed with familiar materials and scale to the area while the arrangement of spaces within the facility are unique in the Diocese. 

ULL

B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration

Design Challenge: 

Design a new College of Business for a growing state university on a very prominent site on its historic quad.

Design Solution:

The first building built on the University of Louisiana’s historic Quadrangle in over forty years, Moody Hall was designed with a healthy dose of respect for its neighbors.  We utilized the traditional red brick blend of its neighbors and mixed in a few new wrinkles to the façade that gave the setting a fresh new look.  Quite a large building, we organized it with all student areas on the ground level with offices and administration on all upper floors.  The first floor lobby is a gathering area and a  “Walk-through” space given that the site is directly on a major pedestrian crossroad of the campus.  The building serves as a gateway to the historic quadrangle. 

StoneBridge

Design Challenge:

Create a neighborhood that provides “quality of life” amenities for families in the Lake Charles, LA area.

Design Solution:

StoneBridge is conceived as a large neighborhood in Lake Charles, home to 450 families.  We designed it to take advantage of the large Live Oak trees that front the main street.  All residents will have access to numerous parks and lakes throughout both phases of the development.  The centerpiece of the neighborhood is a large lake featuring multiple water sprays and a signature “Stone Bridge”. 

Adaptive Reuse

Our firm has a sub-specialty in adaptive reuse facilities.  Our portfolio of projects include residential lofts, industrial conversions into retail and dining, historic preservations and adaptive reuse of downtown buildings.  In 2013 our office completed the construction of the Studios at LWG.  The Studios at LWG is located in Lafayette’s Downtown Cultural Arts District and offers 15 loft-style units designated for artists. The development includes a renovation of the 1920’s structure formerly known as Lafayette Wholesale Grocery.  The building and its units feature much of the original materials and architecture of the structure, including exposed brick walls, concrete flooring, updated skylights, and exposed wood structure.

Projects Include:

-Audioscribe 

-Buck & Johnnys Pizzaria

-Lagniappe Antiques

-Buck Lofts

-Teche Center for the Arts

-Studios at LWG

-St Martin Parish Courthouse

North Regional Library

Design Challenge:

Provide a new public library in an area traditionally underserved yet currently growing in population.  Design the site and building to appeal to a small-town aesthetic while providing for new and modern public spaces and provisions for future building growth.

Design Solutions:

Using Best Practices and guided by library design consultant, Denelle C. Wrightson A.I.A., NCARB, LEED AP of Dewberry, the building is designed as a simple brick structure with feature areas of cement plaster including a classically designed front portico.  We borrowed exterior forms from significant public buildings of the immediate area and added the unique touches of a kaleidoscope tower room for children and a genealogy research area for adults. 

Breaux Bridge Library:

Design Challenge:

Provide a new public library in a downtown park setting with a very limited site.

Design Solution:

To provide the required site footprint we worked with the City, the Parish and the Library Board to cobble together a site able to house all of the programmed areas.  The building is very traditional in its use of building elements but the composition is unique given the challenges posed by the site.  We gave the building a very prominent entry feature and provided for unique geometry at the street corner.  The interior is very modern, colorful and dynamic and represents the Best Practices in Library design.  We consulted with Denelle C. Wrightson A.I.A., NCARB, LEED AP of Dewberry for all layout and design details. 

ULL Foundation   ULL Alumni House

Foundation

The University of Louisiana Foundation Office is a traditionally designed building located on the edge of campus.  It was important to the University that the Foundation Building be identifiable as part of the University family while it was vital to the Foundation that the facility stand as an independent, strong and permanent part of the business and university community.  We accomplished both by using the basic architectural design features of historic campus buildings while providing a scale and composition that distinguishes itself as a traditional financial / philanthropic organization. 

Alumni House

The John Breaux Wing of the University of Louisiana Alumni Home is a unique facility that was added to the historic Alumni Home, once the private residence of ULL benefactor Maurice Heymann. Originally design by A. Hayes Town, the Heymann House was built in 1936.  The John Breaux Wing we designed was conceived to be sensitive to the original structure yet present itself clearly as new.  We borrowed details and materials. We designed a special foundation to preserve the stately Live Oaks that grace the rear yard.  The entry turret is a reflection of the original.  It was designed to be the signature of the new wing and it was positioned on the site to have one of the large oak tree branches wind around its circular form.  Dramatic indeed!