The Shop at the CAC

New Orleans is a city beholden to the arts, its business and entrepreneurial community in support of its presence. Nowhere is this more evident than in the recently developed co-working space, The Shop, located in the historic Contemporary Arts Center.

LOCATION

NEW ORLEANS, LA

SIZE

37,000 SF

YEAR OF COMPLETION

2017

CATEGORY

WORKPLACE

SERVICES

ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN

AWARDS

2020 AIA GULF STATES MERIT AWARD 2019 AIA LOUISIANA MERIT AWARD 2018 GOOD DESIGN IS GOOD BUSINESS AWARD 2018 AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE AWARD 2018 AIA NEW ORLEANS HONOR AWARD 2018 IIDA DELTA REGIONAL CHAPTER AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT

NEIL ALEXANDER SARA ESSEX BRADLEY

Collaborators

YKM Consulting - MEP Engineer Pace Group - Civil & Structural Engineer RNGD - Contractor

Envisioned as the cornerstone of what is quickly becoming the region’s “innovation corridor,” The Shop sits at the nexus of many of the city’s most important cultural institutions. The project occupies the third and fourth floors of the New Orleans Contemporary Arts Center. Working within the context of the historic building, the design team slowly peeled away layers of interior floors and walls to make a lively two-story atrium that exudes warmth and texture.

Exposing and enhancing the existing conditions was a unifying element throughout design. Special care was made in opening the interior to the structural foundation, creating a tectonic contrast of modern interior design and rustic, heavy timber framing. The heart of The Shop is the commons area, designed to facilitate conversation and connection. It boasts a full kitchen, seating options, coffee station, and communal and recreational space.

An axon of the open architectural staircase connecting the two floors

The two floors are connected by an open architectural staircase. The concept emerged from the idea of art and handmade elements intertwined. A variety of work areas are scattered throughout. The concrete base provides informal seating. The stairs weave upwards to form a trellis on the 4th floor, creating a visual link between the two levels.

All of The Shop’s amenities have been designed to offer small businesses, entrepreneurs, and arts-based professionals the resources they need to grow. With its proximity to acclaimed museums and galleries, new developments like the nearby South Market District and Ace Hotel, and some of the best restaurants, shops, entertainment venues and residences in New Orleans, The Shop is primed to become a catalyst that will continue to transform Downtown into a thriving urban center.