1. A10.01 Project Description:
Shortly after completing an addition to its existing cafeteria, this private school realized it needed a complete review of the campus it shared with its adjacent church as well as an assessment of its facilities if it was to meet the educational demands of the children of its parish into the future. Our firm was engaged to perform these duties as well as provide complete programming and architectural services for phase 1 of the resulting master plan. After meeting with school administrators, parents, and church officials a plan was developed that envisioned new administrative offices, media center, and technology classrooms; renovated science centers, gymnasium, and student centers; and a complete technology and security upgrade. These facilities are designed to provide the type and quality of academic areas required for the school’s pre-K thru 8th grade technology-rich curriculum as well as a reinvigorated identity within the parish and to the larger community. These renovated and expanded academic, artistic, and athletic facilities provide the much needed tools for faculty and staff to adequately prepare the parish's children for success in high school, and beyond.
Building Area:
6,700 SF
Cost per Square Foot:
$209
Construction Cost:
$1.4 million
Date of Completion:
August 2012

2. A10.02
The first phase of this masterplan focuses on providing a technology and experientially rich environment for current -and future- students.
Partial Site Plan:
The original campus is composed of typical 1950’s architectural modern movement school design.
Bird’s Eye View: Illustrates how the new Administration Building is forward-looking yet appropriately scaled, and meshes into the existing campus architecture providing a distinct “front door” to the campus.

3. A10.03
The new administrative building and media center is a contemporary reinterpretation of 1950’s architecture.
Careful attention was given to mullion spacing and use of materials such as brick veneer, aluminum curtain wall framing, and energy efficient glazing.
The new administrative building and media center enhances the experience of faculty, students, and campus guests.

4. A10.04
Evaluation of solar angles combined with expansive glazing allows natural light to enter the space, minimizing the need for interior artificial lighting.
Use of louvers control & filter daylight.
Using glass walls also engages the outdoors and simplifies way-finding.

5. A10.05
The building is flexible in terms of both the mulit-use (religious, educational, athletic) campus and its residential context.
The design is focused on updated administrative spaces and visitor/student arrival sequence, providing new vehicular and pedestrian circulation patterns that are both intuitive and secure.

6. A10.06
The design utilizes spatial relationships to provide a media center/school community space that addressed the public and yielded much needed “light-and-airy” gathering space to the existing dark and enclosed environment. (Upper photos: before conditions)
Substantial spans of windows allow natural light to filter in, reducing eye strain while reading. Daylight is controlled and filtered by exterior louvers.
Direct/indirect lighting supplements the daylighting with individual light level control to balance the illumination.

7. A10.07
The Media Center, a hub for educational exercises, private study, and community meetings, includes punches of the school’s accent color to add visual interest to a more subdued space, designed to accommodate large groups or quiet individual reading.
Modular carpet and elements accentuated in school colors give a sense of school’s pride!

8. A10.08
Technology Classrooms feature a combination of “smart boards” and projection systems for interactive learning.
Ultimately, this new building design and masterplan is about providing wonderful spaces where kids would not only learn, but enjoy doing so!

9. A10.09 Project Category: Architecture
Project Name: St. Thomas More School Administration Building & Media Center
Project Location: Sherbrook Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70815
Owner/Client: St. Thomas More School
Architect(s) of Record: Coleman Partners Architects, LLC
Project Team:
Structural: Wardlaw & Lasseigne
Mechanical: AST & Associates
Electrical: AST & Associates
Civil:
Landscape:
General Contractor: Faulk & Meek General Contractors
Photographer: Miami In Focus
A10.09