The Rojo House

New Orleans, LA

Editorial Photos by Augustus Sagnelli coming soon…

A Contemporary Interpretation of the New Orleans Courtyard House

In New Orleans' historic Irish Channel neighborhood, just blocks from the Mississippi River, Rojo House reimagines the relationship between the street, the home, and the courtyard. Rather than replicating the neighborhood's familiar Victorian architecture, the project explores how contemporary residential design can respond to a historic urban fabric through massing, materiality, and the arrangement of buildings on a site.

Reinterpreting a Historic Urban Pattern

Historic Sanborn maps dating from 1885–1893 illustrate a collection of smaller structures occupying the property, reflecting the dense, layered development patterns of this working-class riverfront neighborhood.

When designing a new primary residence and accessory dwelling unit (ADU), Studio BKA explored how this historic arrangement of multiple buildings could inform a contemporary residential compound.

The homeowners envisioned a generous guest residence for visiting family and friends and proposed an unconventional approach: positioning the ADU at the street and locating the primary residence toward the rear of the property.

This reversal of the typical arrangement allowed the main residence to open directly onto a more private backyard while establishing an opportunity for a shared courtyard between the two buildings.

With off-street parking not required, the design prioritizes pedestrian circulation and outdoor living over vehicular access. A fully stuccoed breezeway extends from the sidewalk into the central courtyard, connecting the two residences and creating a transition from the public street to the private spaces beyond.

Contemporary, Yet Contextual

The homeowners' brief was straightforward but nuanced: they wanted something contemporary that still belonged in its historic surroundings.

The design process included extensive massing and facade studies, with eight exterior design options presented for historic review. Rather than relying on traditional Victorian detailing, the resulting architecture responds to its context through scale, proportion, materiality, and the relationship between built and open space.

The project earned its name, Rojo House, from the homeowners' early attraction to the warmth of terracotta and red earth tones. This became a defining element of the architectural identity, offering a contemporary alternative to the more familiar painted wood facades of New Orleans' historic residential neighborhoods.

A Guest House Among the Trees

The street-facing ADU introduces a different approach to residential living.

By placing the bedrooms on the ground floor and elevating the kitchen and living spaces to the second floor, the design takes advantage of a mature, approximately 200-year-old oak tree just beyond the property line.

The upper-level living space becomes an unexpected urban treehouse, with filtered natural light and views into the oak canopy. What might otherwise have been a conventional guest house becomes a distinct residential experience, offering visitors a sense of privacy and connection to the neighborhood.

A Main House

Designed Around Movement and Connection

In contrast to the ADU, the primary residence follows a more traditional arrangement, with the kitchen, dining, and living spaces on the ground floor and bedrooms above.

An open plan allows for continuous circulation through the main living spaces, including a walk-through pantry and mudroom. The dining room also serves as a generous entry foyer, blurring the distinction between formal arrival and everyday family life.

On the third floor, an outdoor roof terrace is carved into the building's massing, creating an elevated outdoor retreat with views toward the Mississippi River and downtown New Orleans.

Throughout the project, outdoor spaces are treated as extensions of the interior architecture—from the shared central courtyard to the private rear yard and rooftop terrace.

A Material Palette Rooted in Warmth

A cohesive material palette connects the two residences while allowing each to develop its own character.

Terracotta, Rojo Alicante marble, and Guatemala Verde marble establish a recurring language of earthy reds and deep greens. In the ADU, terracotta flooring anchors the ground floor, while natural white oak cabinetry and flooring, paired with leathered Taj Mahal quartzite, create a lighter atmosphere in the upper-level kitchen.

The primary residence introduces limewashed walls, painted tongue-and-groove ceilings with exposed dimensional lumber, and extensive custom white oak millwork. Rather than treating cabinetry as isolated functional elements, built-ins are integrated throughout the interiors to introduce warmth, texture, and architectural continuity.

Carefully considered details, including Waterworks fixtures, a curbless primary shower, and a custom white oak dressing room, bring a quiet sense of luxury to the daily experience of the home.

Skylights above the main staircase and in the third-floor bathroom draw daylight deep into the interior, reinforcing the project's emphasis on natural light and connections to the outdoors.

A Different Kind of New Orleans House

Rojo House offers a contemporary interpretation of a familiar New Orleans residential tradition: multiple buildings organized around intimate outdoor spaces.

By placing the guest residence at the street, prioritizing pedestrian circulation, and treating the courtyard as the organizing element of the property, the project creates a new residential experience rooted in the historic development patterns of the neighborhood.

The result is a home that feels distinctly contemporary without losing its connection to New Orleans.