Academic Center for Student Athletes & Campbell Auditorium
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, La.
Trahan Architects

Trahan Architects used simple materials and spare volumes to celebrate the original character of this 1927 structure

By Christine Kreyling

© Timothy Hursley

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Louisiana State University's Gym Armory building was constructed in 1930, when athletic facilities enjoyed the dignity characteristic of academic structures on the campus. The brick and limestone building is a symmetrical mass in the Italian Renaissance style established for campus architecture in the early 1920s. The 2002 interior renovation reinforces the connection between academics and athletics. The design by Trahan Architects distills the historic architectural language to its essence, creating a sequence of clean, clear spaces that articulate rational thought in three dimensions.

The not-for-profit Tiger Athletic Foundation, which supports LSU athletics, commissioned the Trahan firm to turn the Gym Armory into an academic center for the school's athletes while respecting its historic style. The program called for the conversion of 55,000 square feet spread over three floors into counseling, tutorial, study, and career-resource spaces for college players. To pull the academic community more firmly into the facility, the program also included a computer lab and auditorium for classes and lectures open to the general campus population. Trey Trahan, AIA, explains that, as principal in charge, football coach Nick Saban "wanted to increase the graduation rate" for his players by developing "an academic environment conducive to their special needs."

The Trahan team followed the lead of the 1927 structure. They abstracted a 1 by 2 proportional module from the existing skeleton to determine the pattern of new interiors. They also retained the building's symmetrical organization while paring away remodelings that had obscured the volumes of the historic interior. Project designer Jason Hargrave, AIA, says the team articulated the chronological gap between exterior and interior by means of a 3ž4-inch reveal—between floors, walls, and ceilings—that suggests new skin is floating within the old shell. The architects utilized a simple and consistent palette of colors and materials—white to blonde for the rooms at the building's perimeter, warmer and darker for the core—to evoke serenity.

The architects located spaces open to all students on the first floor. Symmetrical arched entrances are defined by bronze walls inscribed with the names of donors. Inside, in austere halls of cream limestone, inscriptions pay homage to athletes who achieved academic distinction and teams that won championships. Between the halls, the center's administrative complex is the first in a series of spaces featuring unpainted but sealed plaster and pale maple. Offices are divided from reception by acid-etched glass to allow natural light to penetrate the interior.

Monumental mahogany doors open into the auditorium, which Trahan calls "the rich box" at the heart of the building. The architects used original columns, beams, and trusses as the grid for the wood-clad room. Book-matched mahogany veneer emphasizes the slight curvature of the walls. Cotton fabric panels within the trusses allow sound and light to filter from fixtures while concealing visual clutter. Upstairs, in space once occupied by the old gym's tiered seating, the architects placed the computer lab and study hall. Desks of solid plaster are cantilevered from plaster walls, forming smooth cubicles for concentration. In the library/reading room, the architects restored the 20-foot height of the space, revealing the windows' original arcuation. Illuminated coffers in the shape of oblique parallelograms create a dynamic pattern of light and shadow.

See the November 2003 issue of Architectural Record for full story.

Formal name of Project:
Academic Center for Student Athletes & Campbell Auditorium
At Louisiana State University

Location:
Baton Rouge, La.

Gross square footage:
Renovated and New Area 55,000 sq. ft.

Total construction cost:
$9.6 million

Owner:
Louisiana State University

Architect:
Trahan Architects
445 North Boulevard, Suite 570
Baton Rouge, LA 70810
225.924.6333
225.924.6498f