Louisiana School For Math, Science & The Arts, Living Learning Commons
Natchitoches, Louisiana
The Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts is known as one of the best public high schools in the nation. The school was founded in 1982 to serve as the flagship public-supported high school in Louisiana. The architects were selected to provide living space for 360 students and student life staff in a new residence hall.
Concepts of connectivity and openness drive the formal organization of the building. A large, welcoming front porch provides the primary pedestrian entry, sharing a courtyard with an adjacent classroom building. The wood elements at the underside of the porch roof delicately slip into the building to form a double-height lobby and campus living room, essentially a transparent glazed breezeway that opens to a terrace and courtyard overlooking the athletic field beyond. The south end of the lobby dramatically focuses on a mature grouping of live oaks, carefully preserved by the positioning of the building’s footprint. They create a shaded gathering space for the students.
The commons area wraps and extends out from the living room in an inviting series of gathering spaces, formal and informal, that balance social and academic needs. The student commons culminates in an intimate student lounge that opens to a covered porch and large firepit area, elevated and oriented west, overlooking the athletic fields.
The student residences themselves are organized into 10 independently functioning “neighborhoods.” This organizational structure enables students to engage at a personal level and become more closely acquainted with one another. Each neighborhood has nine four-person suites and is supported by a hall commons, a quiet study lounge, laundry facilities, and an office and residence for a Student Life Adviser.
Additional Information
Cost per Sq Ft
$225.00
Featured in
2023 Educational Interiors Showcase
Interior category
Residence Halls/Lounges
Product suppliers specified
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