Project Profile:
The mission of the Louisiana School is to foster in its young scholars lifelong growth toward reaching individual potentials and toward finding places of work and service in a global society through the examination and exchange of ideas in a community of learners.

The Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts remains unique among the nation’s public residential high schools offering a core curriculum of study in math, science, the humanities, and the creative and performing arts. The enrollment is limited to 400 students in grades 11 and 12 selected through a competitive process. Students live near Louisiana School in dormitories on the Northwestern State University Campus.

The Louisiana School is initiating a new component: The Louisiana Virtual High School. This new school will provide instructional services to public high schools throughout the state where instruction would not be available because of a lack of funding and/or qualified instructors to teach the courses. This program is expected to serve 4000 students in 275 schools.

E. Eean McNaughton Architects was selected to design significant improvements to the Louisiana School Campus.

The initial assignment was the development of a Long Range Campus Master Plan and Architectural Space Program.

The present campus consists of the Academic / Administration Building (1938), originally the Natchitoches High School; the Arts, Music, and Drama building known as the Annex, originally the Natchitoches Trade School (1938); and the Gymnasium / Student Activities Center (1928).

In the interest of furthering the ability of Louisiana School to accomplish their mission, it was clear that carefully planned improvements and expansion of educational facilities was necessary. The Proposed New Center for Performance and Technology is planned to include a Black Box Theater, Lecture / Recital Hall, Art Gallery, Technology Classrooms and Labs, and a Cafeteria. The interior of the Annex Building is proposed to be completely renovated and become the Music and Fine Arts Building.
The planning for new dormitories on the Louisiana School Campus was part of the master planning process.

Working with Louisiana School, E. Eean McNaughton Architects developed a detailed Architectural Space Program to satisfy the needs of the school. From the space program, the new building and renovation needs were schematically developed and arranged on the campus establishing a Long Range Campus Master Plan. The space between the Academic / Administration Building and the Annex Building is presently an unsightly parking lot. The Master Plan proposes to eliminate the parking and create a New Student Quadrangle defined by the existing buildings and the New Building. The proposed dormitories are to be located on the southwest portion of the site facing north / south avoiding western and eastern solar infiltration.

Owner:
State of Louisiana

User:
Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts

Firm Responsibilities:
Master Plan and Functional Programming;
Site Analysis and Planning;
Phasing and Cost Estimating

Completed: 2004 (Master Plan)