Louisiana Architecture

Introduction to architectural styles that have shaped Louisiana's landscapes.

An enormous number of churches and other religious structures have been built in Louisiana over the past 250 years, many of which still stand. Today, in New Orleans alone, there are more than 850 churches representing more than seventy denominations. The state's religious buildings encompass not only a wide range of faiths but also a striking diversity of architectural forms. In Religious Architecture in Louisiana, author Robert W. Heck and photographer Otis B. Wheeler provide the first photographic survey of this rich architectural heritage. Their goal has been not to document every religious building in the state (a nearly impossible task) but to isolate prime examples of the historically and architecturally significant. Robert W. Heck presents a brief history of Louisiana's religious architecture. He describes the dominating influence of Catholicism during the eighteenth century, during which time the original Church of St. Louis was built on the site of the present Cathedral of St. Louis, King of France, in New Orleans. He then discusses the burgeoning construction that accompanied the expansion of religious freedom following the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 as Protestants and Jews erected their own places of worship. The author also considers the various architectural influences that have marked Louisiana's religious buildings, from the Colonial style of the eighteenth century, to the Classical Revival and Gothic Revival styles that predominated during the middle part of the nineteenth century, to the Eclectic style that gained currency after the Civil War and persisted until about 1930. The great part of the book is devoted to 162 religious buildings located throughout the state. In addition to presenting photographs of the structures, each place of worship is identified by name, address, date of construction (when known), and architectural style. For each building the author also provides comments on design, construction materials, and structural and decorative details. To enhance the usefulness of the book, a glossary of architectural terms and an appendix that lists those religious buildings in the state included in the National Register of Historic Places is included as well as another appendix that lists known early religious structures that are no longer standing. Religious Architecture in Louisiana will prove a valuable resource for architects, religious congregations, historic preservationists, and religious and architectural historians.

Spanning from the West African coast to the Canadian prairies and south to Louisiana, the Caribbean, and Guiana, France's Atlantic empire was one of the largest political entities in the Western Hemisphere. Yet despite France's status as a nation at the forefront of architecture and the structures and designs from this period that still remain, its colonial building program has never been considered on a hemispheric scale. Drawing from hundreds of plans, drawings, photographic field surveys, and extensive archival sources, Architecture and Urbanism in the French Atlantic Empire focuses on the French state's and the Catholic Church's ideals and motivations for their urban and architectural projects in the Americas. In vibrant detail, Gauvin Alexander Bailey recreates a world that has been largely destroyed by wars, natural disasters, and fires – from Cap-François (now Cap-Haïtien), which once boasted palaces in the styles of Louis XV and formal gardens patterned after Versailles, to failed utopian cities like Kourou in Guiana. Vividly illustrated with examples of grand buildings, churches, and gardens, as well as simple houses and cottages, this volume also brings to life the architects who built these structures, not only French military engineers and white civilian builders, but also the free people of colour and slaves who contributed so much to the tropical colonies. Taking readers on a historical tour through the striking landmarks of the French colonial landscape, Architecture and Urbanism in the French Atlantic Empire presents a sweeping panorama of an entire hemisphere of architecture and its legacy.

Featuring color photography by Philip Gould and architectural drawings, A. Hays Town and the Architectural Image of Louisiana by Carol McMichael Reese traces the evolution of Town's career, including his work on the Historic American Buildings Survey, his award-winning Modernist designs, and his later houses that came to define Louisiana's residential architecture. This work accompanies an exhibition that originated at the Hilliard Art Museum - University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2018 and has since traveled to additional venues.

A study of historic architectural styles of New Orleans homes. This presentation of nineteenth-century gouache and watercolor archival paintings from the New Orleans Notarial Archives offers a glimpse at what old, renovated, restored, and new buildings in New Orleans neighborhoods not only might look like, but how they should look. Including examples of each New Orleans house type, ranging from the French colonial plantation home to the Creole cottage, this volume offers historic plans for each house along with contemporary adaptive-use alternatives to suit modern needs. An architectural pattern book, educational tool, city planner’s handbook, and stunning visual presentation, this gorgeous resource is intended for all interested in historic preservation and architectural history as well as those wishing to build a modern home in an authentic New Orleans style. Praise for A Pattern Book of New Orleans Architecture “An enchanting waltz through the heart of the Crescent City choreographed by the doyenne of New Orleans’ preservationists. [Toledano] presents two centuries of colored renderings from the New Orleans Notarial Archives in a stunning visual portrait of the city’s built heritage, while architect Gate Pratt’s pattern book of new homes designed in authentic styles provides an indispensable resource for rebuilding efforts. This work is destined to become the quintessential bible for historians, preservationists, architects, and all those interested in the true story of the architectural traditions that have shaped the ‘real’ New Orleans.” —Russell Versaci, AIA, traditional architect and author of Creating a New Old House and Roots of Home “For architects, builders, and developers working in the Crescent City, Roulhac B. Toledano’s A Pattern Book of New Orleans Architecture reveals an extraordinary new design resource. Toledano describes in detail the evolution of the city and the building types that have given the city a character unique in the world. Modern floor plans designed by local architects for historic house types demonstrate that the traditional architectural patterns of New Orleans are as accommodating today as in the past. For local practitioners and visitors wishing to build in New Orleans, Toledano’s pattern book is essential for sensitive and thoughtful design in this most exotic and precious city.” —Paul Ostergaard, AIA, Urban Design Associates, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

From the accounts of 18th-century travelers to the interpretations of 21st-century historians, Jumonville lists more than 6,800 books, chapters, articles, theses, dissertations, and government documents that describe the rich history of America's 18th state. Here are references to sources on the Louisiana Purchase, the Battle of New Orleans, Carnival, and Cajuns. Less-explored topics such as the rebellion of 1768, the changing roles of women, and civic development are also covered. It is a sweeping guide to the publications that best illuminate the land, the people, and the multifaceted history of the Pelican State. Arranged according to discipline and time period, chapters cover such topics as the environment, the Civil War and Reconstruction, social and cultural history, the people of Louisiana, local, parish, and sectional histories, and New Orleans. It also lists major historical sites and repositories of primary materials. As the only comprehensive bibliography of the secondary sources about the state, ^ILouisiana History^R is an invaluable resource for scholars and researchers.