Showing posts with label Student Work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Student Work. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Student Work (2002): Crosby Arboretum Visitor's Center

I wanted to post another one of my favorite student projects: the Crosby Arboretum. This multipurpose center included an educational center, gift shop, administration offices & restrooms. This is one of my favorite projects because of the natural environment surrounding the purposed structure. My project opens up & provides views to Fay Jone's Pinecote Pavillion.
My concept was to represent the vernacular style of the region using treated cypress as the siding & untreated hardwood for the exterior shades. I also designed large glu-lam beams that spanned from each building to create a forced perspective to the Fay Jones Pavilion.  Between the each wing of the building is a wood clad plaza area used as a meeting place before performances and lectures at the Pavilion. The center sits on pilings above the ground. This and the shape of the building assist in utilizing natural cooling systems. 



Some of the influences I had for this project are as seen below:
The Lake Flato Hilltop Arboretum in Baton Rouge. When I studied at LSU, I visited this Arboretum often. It's executed perfectly. It identifies with the natural environment of southern Louisiana which weighed heavy on my choice of materials when designing the Crosby Arboretum.

Another influence I had was the Stephen Atkinson Dog Trot House in Zachary, Louisiana seen below. This house is another example of translating the vernacular style architecture of southern Louisiana.



Thursday, April 8, 2010

Student Work (2001): Red Stick Theatre

I have a hand full of student work that I really love and the Baton Rouge Theatre is one example of my favorites. The Red Stick Theatre design incorporates an exterior space that allows for pedestrian movement to its neighboring gallery, as well as, complimenting the Old State Capital Building across the street. The design combines the use of various materials including red aluminum panels and composite style glass panes surrounding a large spacious lobby adjacent to the capital building.




About four years later, the Shaw Center for the Performing Arts was built on the site. Its noted for its sophistication and innovation. It was a 2008 AIA Honor Award recipient. To learn more about the Shaw Center, check out the wesbite: http://www.shawcenter.org/content/about/


I took these photos while visiting my nearby Alma Mater, LSU in 2008.