WFCW Office
This project is situated in the Historic Old South Baton Rouge neighborhood once referred to as the “bottoms”-the area strategically located between LSU campus and Downtown Baton Rouge. This modest renovation/addition fits into the city’s over-all master plan and on going revitalization efforts in the area. The project involved renovating an existing single story building and adding a second floor. The design utilizes modest materials and geometries appropriate for the gritty side street the terminates near the levy. The second floor windows provide views of the Mississippi River Bridge. A yellow shaft cuts through the building and is visible from the outside as well as most of the interior spaces. Capped with skylights this shaft connects the first and second floor-celebrating the transition between the old and new. In contrast to the existing structure, the second floor addition is designed to be full of natural light, colorful and open. Offices and support spaces surround a central core designed to house workstations. The sliding glass partitions that enclose the offices and meeting areas provides acoustic separation while maintaining the openness and visual connection expected in a progressive, collaborative office space. The design strikes a balance between cost and aspiration, transforming an uninviting one-storystructure into a functioning office space for a dynamic small business.
