Home to architectural styles spanning almost three hundred years, the is no city like New Orleans. The meld of French, Spanish, and Caribbean architectural influences, in conjunction with the demands of the hot and humid climate, has impacted the urban fabric as much as the culture itself. Located along the Mississippi River and close to the Gulf of Mexico coast, the construction of ports, NOLA’s trading history, and forceful natural phenomena like Hurricane Katrina in 2005 illustrate how water has shaped the city.
Following Hurricane Katrina, Orleans adapted its values to respond to the changing needs of its recovering community. Although reconstruction is not only architectural responsibility, New Orleans public architecture has contributed to revitalizing and reinhabiting the city after the disaster. Museums, parks, and churches, each of these places connects people to each other in ways that define and support community.
Showcasing contemporary and modernist icons, the following 18 projects were built in New Orleans for diverse community resources and to empower new generations toward a city for everyone.
The Lavin-Bernick Center for University Life | VJAA
Hollygrove Greenline Shade-Water Pavilion | Tulane School of Architecture
Alligator | buildingstudio
L.B. Landry High School | Eskew+Dumez+Ripple
Bastion Community Housing | OJT
Louisiana Children’s Museum at City Park | Mithun
The National WWII Museum | Voorsanger Mathes LLC
Crescent Park | Eskew+Dumez+Ripple
The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden | Lee Ledbetter Architects and Sawyer/Berson Architecture
Piazza d’Italia | Charles Moore
Automotive Life Insurance | Curtis and Davis architects
The Shop at CAC | Eskew+Dumez+Ripple
Pecos County Safety Rest Area | Richter Architects
Yulman Stadium at Tulane University | Multistudio
Holy Rosary Church Complex | Trahan Architects
St. Pius Chapel and Prayer Garden | Eskew+Dumez+Ripple
At Baton Rouge, 1h 30m away from New Orleans
Magnolia Mound Turner Family Visitors Center | Trahan Architects
Louisiana State Museum and Sports Hall of Fame | Trahan Architects
You can visit our list of City Guides here.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on October 05, 2022.
