Architecture
The American Institute of Architects has recently released its Framework for Design Excellence, a guidance tool consisting of ten key principles complemented by probing questions. This tool serves as a guidepost to help designers make advances toward a better built environment that is zero-carbon, promotes health, fosters resilience, and upholds equity.
Read MoreA trip around the rest of the Caribbean perimeter, from islands like Puerto Rico, to coastal Mexico and Central America, will show you a vastly different role for the humble concrete block than we have in the U.S.
Read MoreI wanted to blog about our latest completed project: the Lizardi Town Homes, as an opportunity to showcase some of our beautiful before-and-after photographs, but there is so much to cover, or uncover rather, with this project. Everything from the history of the building, to the owner’s discovery of the space, to our strategy in telling it's story through architecture.
Corner of Prytania and Terpsicore - BEFORE
Corner of Prytania and Terpsicore - AFTER
Growing up in New Orleans, I have always had an appreciation for the historic building stock, the layers of history and how each generation adapts these buildings to their interpretation of "modern".
The Lizardi Town Homes were built around 1836. Historians discovered that like many of the homes along the Mississippi River in New Orleans, the property was once a part of a larger plantation or estate. Eventually parceled off because of the economical pressures of downtown expansion and farming opportunities in more rural settings.
Sanborn Map showing the Lizardi Trio Town Houses
The original structures, three total at their conception, were built for the Lizardi Brothers, who were Mexican trade merchants using New Orleans as their pit stop while traveling back and forth from Mexico to Europe. Henry Laurence bought the property in 1847 and kept the property the longest until around 1970 when the property was purchased by a furniture retailer/fabricator. At this point in history, the buildings were modified into a large, single-occupancy space. At some point in history, the smallest building of the trio was demolished and the vacant lot used for parking.
The buildings’ newest owner is our client, Developer Montgomery Berman and Co.. He discovered the town homes in their most “modern" configuration with an atrium in the back. This atrium connected the once "service wings" of the main structures with a stylized, wood-and-glass curtain wall.
Walking through the building for the first time, we could see that this addition may have be installed around the 1970’s or 1980’s, when the furniture store was expanding their showroom and offices. The wood windows lacked proper flashing and were beginning to rot, and the minimal amount of new finishes applied to the atrium space were dated and lackluster. Original brick paving at the ground level remained, but was painted to match the walls.
BEFORE: our client found the buildings with a two-story stair atrium enclosed with a stylized, wood-and-glass curtain wall.
BEFORE: interior views of the atrium space that was added around the 1970s or 1980s.
The main structures, now connected through brick archways, were stripped down, bare and dark. Instantly, I could visualize the Lizardi or Laurence family enjoying these rooms with their large, double-hung windows and wrap around balconies. I could see hoop-skirts, gas lanterns, and depression china. I could hear piano melodies and brass ensembles. One of the original stairs was still there, the heart pine winders and iron railing were a tactile glimpse into the past.
BEFORE: connected main structures
AFTER: bedroom space for one of the apartments
With the developers approval, we proposed removing the 1970’s additions. The atrium enclosure was hiding the historic service wings. Below the service wings' balconies, we didn’t simply fill the large openings on the first floor with stucco-clad wall to match, but rather diagonal cedar planks as a gesture to the story of its modified past.
BEFORE: atrium addition circa 1970
AFTER: courtyard between original service wings
Although the original kitchens and washrooms would have been on the first floor in the service wings, our new program called for kitchen and bathrooms in the main structures. The buildings' new program required more tenant occupancy, thus resulting in four kitchens total instead of two.
One of the design strategies we used called for was modern delineation: sharp, white lines against antique brick walls. This contrast highlighted what is new and what is old. Smooth sheetrock walls abutting rough brick walls can create odd details so we painted the return side of sheetrock bead black, so that the planes appeared flush and intentional.
Original Wood lintels and transoms above historic openings were retained and repaired.
The only original door found on the property was used as a basis of design for many new doors.
Fresh coats of paint on the exterior stucco facade and gas lanterns dotting the entrances enliven the buildings' street presence. The modern railing in the courtyard was an intentional choice due to the fact that original service wing railings were shorter with balustrades further spaced apart. Fabricating these railings back to historic proportions would have been a safety concern and code issue. Instead of designing a traditional wood railing, we chose to use cable rail. Cable rail allows views to penetrate further and focus on the architecture instead of tightly space white balustrades creating visual clutter.
We chose colorful cabinets and brass accents in the kitchens. The bold colors nodding to the colorful timeline of the buildings’ history and brass complimenting the warm of the space. We tried to minimize exposed electrical conduit were we could. With exposed brick walls everywhere, we had to run electrical wires in the baseboards, so that silvery conduits were not popping up like gophers along the historic walls.
Corner Apartment - BEFORE
Corner Apartment - AFTER
With over 1,000 unique conditions, this project, for us, required constant eyes in the field. That is the difference between restoration and renovation; the difference between preservation and remodeling. What remained, untouched and creating character in the space, was left alone. What we could build back, windows and doors in particular, we did to the proportions of the original structure. We let history inform the product, in this case. We used our filter to create the story.
Project Team: Developer: Montgomery Berman & Co., Architects: Studio BKA, LLC, Contractor: NFT Group
Hand cut map of New Orleans by Karen O'Leary of Studio KMO
If you are interested in small to mid-size developments in New Orleans or other historic core neighborhoods, this blog series includes valuable lessons of the past, present and future development challenges and opportunities!
Read MoreMany older historic cities have a rich tradition of building-sidewalk interaction, but maybe none so famous as New Orleans.
This iconic scene from the French Quarter shows what happens when our built environment and our public walkways interact and intersect with each other; you get one of the most memorable (and profitable) neighborhoods of any American city. This used to be commonplace all over the country prior to the advent of more regulated city development and zoning laws. It is still possible to create new structures that engage with the 'public way'; planning entities and advocates in fact encourage this as a strong strategy for making safe, useful and profitable urban environments.
Many people see the photo above and remark on how beautiful the balconies are, but that's not quite right - it would be more accurate from a planning standpoint to say the French Quarter is known for its beautiful galleries. Balconies, galleries and stoops are all ways buildings historically transitioned into the public way.
To do this today with a new building is possible, but times have changed - you'll now be required to effectively rent that space from the city, and work with the city to ensure that you're not creating any problems by hanging out over their expensive infrastructure.
Figure 1. Balcony.
When you think balconies, think Romeo calling to Juliet. These structures cantilever out from the face of the building over the sidewalk which is owned by the local government. This practice was previously accepted in New Orleans as the Way Things Are, but times have changed and cities are strapped for cash. Old overhangs are generally grandfathered from any taxation, but if you want to add a new one hanging out over the sidewalk, you will need a servitude granted to you from the city. This gives you the right to own and maintain the 'encroachment' as they call it, in exchange for an annual payment. In New Orleans, this amount is determined by the city based on real estate prices in the area.
Figure 2. Gallery.
Galleries interact with more than just the air, they drop columns into the public path, and into zones that are often needed for public utilities, and where construction equipment must periodically access those utilities. They are taxed the same way as balconies, but they require more extensive review with public agencies and utilities. Generally, New Orleans wants any columns or footings dropped into the sidewalk to hold 18" clear from the face of a curb. The public utilities will look at what they have underground in the area, and will typically ask for 3' of clearance to either side of buried lines in order to work on them should they need replacement. They will also check the height of your encroachment to make sure they can get any equipment they may need underneath it; 10' clear is a safe bet unless you are covering some very serious infrastructure. Private utilites, such as electrical or cable providers, will need to make sure there are no cables that will need to be moved to avoid a safety issue for people standing on the encroachment.
Figure 3. Stoop in Brooklyn.
Being a former New Yorker, I have a love for stoops - they are the front porches of Manhattan and Brooklyn. With less sun protection needed, they create a great social scene for a block that we see paralleled here in New Orleans with porches, the difference being porches can be set up as a more private space, whereas stoops are just out there often right in the public sidewalk, forcing interactions - such as the interaction of waking up the guy in the suit who passed out on your stoop so that you can get out the door to work in the morning. That's a little more acceptable than passing out on someone's porch - that would more likely warrant a 911 call than a helpful nudge.
