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Collection by Erika Heet

Designs From New Orleans

In honor of noted New Orleans architect Allen Eskew, who died Tuesday, we meander through the great design and architecture we love from the Big Easy.

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The Phillis Wheatley Elementary School in New Orleans, which despite its standing as a rare and important work of modern architecture (one of the best examples of regional modernism in the city), and despite surviving the storms and levee breach of 2005, was demolished in 2011. It incorporated both traditional and innovative design ideas, like an elevated structure for flooding and natural ventilation, and a playground beneath its cantilevered wings. "Once Wheatley is gone, another part of our history, of African-American culture in New Orleans, is demolished," said Phyllis Montana-LeBlanc in 2011. Montana-LeBlanc is a cast member in the HBO series "Treme" who attended Wheatley in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The Phillis Wheatley Elementary School in New Orleans, which despite its standing as a rare and important work of modern architecture (one of the best examples of regional modernism in the city), and despite surviving the storms and levee breach of 2005, was demolished in 2011. It incorporated both traditional and innovative design ideas, like an elevated structure for flooding and natural ventilation, and a playground beneath its cantilevered wings. "Once Wheatley is gone, another part of our history, of African-American culture in New Orleans, is demolished," said Phyllis Montana-LeBlanc in 2011. Montana-LeBlanc is a cast member in the HBO series "Treme" who attended Wheatley in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
After Nomita Joshi-Gupta’s home in New Orleans was damaged in Hurricane Katrina, she set out looking for eco-friendly products and services. But when she came up empty, she called her friend Cheryl Murphy, a historic preservationist whom she met in graduate school, and in December 2008, they opened Spruce, a green modern design store. “It’s hard to find a product that is well designed and also has an aesthetic appeal in New Orleans,” Joshi-Gupta says. “The whole idea was to create a showroom and somewhere we could both do design and sell eco-friendly products.” We made a quick call to two business partners and design enthusiasts to find out why the Big Easy is a good place for modern design.
After Nomita Joshi-Gupta’s home in New Orleans was damaged in Hurricane Katrina, she set out looking for eco-friendly products and services. But when she came up empty, she called her friend Cheryl Murphy, a historic preservationist whom she met in graduate school, and in December 2008, they opened Spruce, a green modern design store. “It’s hard to find a product that is well designed and also has an aesthetic appeal in New Orleans,” Joshi-Gupta says. “The whole idea was to create a showroom and somewhere we could both do design and sell eco-friendly products.” We made a quick call to two business partners and design enthusiasts to find out why the Big Easy is a good place for modern design.
Byron Mouton and girlfriend, Julie Charvat watch the world go by, New Orleans style.
Byron Mouton and girlfriend, Julie Charvat watch the world go by, New Orleans style.
The living room of the tower transitions to a sizable balcony overlooking a private rear courtyard. As Gatzke notes, the design of the house emphasizes flexibility and evolution of uses for the three distinct spaces: “The ground-floor ‘bar’ unit could be internally connected to the studio apartment and upper floors, allowing it to be rented or combined as a larger single unit.”
The living room of the tower transitions to a sizable balcony overlooking a private rear courtyard. As Gatzke notes, the design of the house emphasizes flexibility and evolution of uses for the three distinct spaces: “The ground-floor ‘bar’ unit could be internally connected to the studio apartment and upper floors, allowing it to be rented or combined as a larger single unit.”
Julie Charvat of Bild Design exits the Lowerline House. Raised three feet off the ground—rather than slab on grade—the house is well equipped to battle any incoming flood waters.
Julie Charvat of Bild Design exits the Lowerline House. Raised three feet off the ground—rather than slab on grade—the house is well equipped to battle any incoming flood waters.
Though the Lowerline House may appear radically different, it deliberately mimics the neighboring shotgun camel-backs. The form is derived from a time when city taxes were based on the height of a building at the street front. To get more space but not get taxed, houses were built up on the rear of the property, problem solved.
Though the Lowerline House may appear radically different, it deliberately mimics the neighboring shotgun camel-backs. The form is derived from a time when city taxes were based on the height of a building at the street front. To get more space but not get taxed, houses were built up on the rear of the property, problem solved.
"You don't even want to be in New Orleans in August with the air-conditioning on," McKay says. "The openness and shade of the pavilion fit well with the surroundings, though, and when a breeze comes through, you're fine."Photo by Frank Doering.
"You don't even want to be in New Orleans in August with the air-conditioning on," McKay says. "The openness and shade of the pavilion fit well with the surroundings, though, and when a breeze comes through, you're fine."Photo by Frank Doering.
The only enclosed space of the pavilion is the freestanding storage area, where the volunteers keep their tools and potting supplies. McKay would have preferred using smaller aluminum, "but with free materials, you do what you can," he says. Photo by Frank Doering.
The only enclosed space of the pavilion is the freestanding storage area, where the volunteers keep their tools and potting supplies. McKay would have preferred using smaller aluminum, "but with free materials, you do what you can," he says. Photo by Frank Doering.
Project: Special No. 9 House Location: New Orleans, Louisiana View: Exterior Architect: KieranTimberlake AIA summary: "The Special No. 9 House was designed for the Make It Right Foundation to provide storm-resistant, affordable, and sustainable housing options for the residents of New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward displaced by Hurricane Katrina. To support Make It Right’s goal of building 150 homes in the Lower Ninth Ward, this single-family home is poised for mass production, anticipating a shift from on-site to off-site fabrication as more homes are scheduled for construction. Key goals were to create safe, healthy and dignified housing to residents in a flood-prone area, and to empower residents to return to improved living conditions that take advantage of New Orleans’ climate and express its deep cultural heritage." Photo by John Williams Architects.
Project: Special No. 9 House Location: New Orleans, Louisiana View: Exterior Architect: KieranTimberlake AIA summary: "The Special No. 9 House was designed for the Make It Right Foundation to provide storm-resistant, affordable, and sustainable housing options for the residents of New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward displaced by Hurricane Katrina. To support Make It Right’s goal of building 150 homes in the Lower Ninth Ward, this single-family home is poised for mass production, anticipating a shift from on-site to off-site fabrication as more homes are scheduled for construction. Key goals were to create safe, healthy and dignified housing to residents in a flood-prone area, and to empower residents to return to improved living conditions that take advantage of New Orleans’ climate and express its deep cultural heritage." Photo by John Williams Architects.
The firm Eskew Dumez Ripple won the 2014 AIA Architecture Firm Award two days after architect Allen Eskew’s death. The AIA Architecture Firm Award, given annually, is the highest honor the AIA bestows on an architecture firm and recognizes a practice that consistently has produced distinguished architecture for at least 10 years. Eskew+Dumez+Ripple’s prototype design for the Make It Right project developed out of the need to offer residents of New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward affordable and sustainable housing as they rebuild their homes after Hurricane Katrina.
The firm Eskew Dumez Ripple won the 2014 AIA Architecture Firm Award two days after architect Allen Eskew’s death. The AIA Architecture Firm Award, given annually, is the highest honor the AIA bestows on an architecture firm and recognizes a practice that consistently has produced distinguished architecture for at least 10 years. Eskew+Dumez+Ripple’s prototype design for the Make It Right project developed out of the need to offer residents of New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward affordable and sustainable housing as they rebuild their homes after Hurricane Katrina.
Eskew+Dumez+Ripple designed a sustainable housing prototype for “The Sustainable Design Competition for New Orleans – Advancing the Sustainable Rebuilding of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast” sponsored by Global Green USA. The studio was among six finalists in this national “green building” competition to design environmentally-friendly housing in New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward. The project demonstrates how green building and intelligent architecture can come together in an innovative way, while also respecting the historical context of New Orleans’ neighborhoods. Major project programmatic components included 18 housing units, a daycare and a community center, all designed to meet LEED Platinum standards. The project was also designed to achieve a net-zero energy use by harvesting energy on-site from wind turbines, river turbines and solar panels.
Eskew+Dumez+Ripple designed a sustainable housing prototype for “The Sustainable Design Competition for New Orleans – Advancing the Sustainable Rebuilding of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast” sponsored by Global Green USA. The studio was among six finalists in this national “green building” competition to design environmentally-friendly housing in New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward. The project demonstrates how green building and intelligent architecture can come together in an innovative way, while also respecting the historical context of New Orleans’ neighborhoods. Major project programmatic components included 18 housing units, a daycare and a community center, all designed to meet LEED Platinum standards. The project was also designed to achieve a net-zero energy use by harvesting energy on-site from wind turbines, river turbines and solar panels.