Iberville State Office Building
Location
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Owner
State of Louisiana
Completion Date
2006
Awards
2007 - South Central Construction Best of 2007 Award of Merit - Public Architecture
Conceived as one of the brother buildings by the Capitol Park Interpretive Master Plan, the Iberville building, while housing the Department of Social Services, forms one half of the new Capitol park gateway. The 270,000 s.f., 9-story office building is designed in cooperation with it’s adjacent gateway brother, the Bienville building, to complete a group of four buildings facing the Louisiana state capitol. The gateway concept draws from history in that the exploring brothers, Iberville and Bienville discovered a gulf route to the mouth of the Mississippi River, the gate to Louisiana. The buildings both incorporate a third floor roof terrace facing the capitol and a nine story linear tower element. The elevator shafts are positioned so that exiting the cab provides a profound direct view of the W.P.A. art deco design of the Louisiana state capitol and it’s expansive formal gardens. The majority of the buildings (including the Iberville) within the capitol park complex reference the forms and details of the WPA/art deco influence. Primary materials include precast concrete panels, glass curtain walls and aluminum wall panels. To contribute in the marking of the gateway the tower is detailed with seven protruding curtain elements, serving as illuminated lanterns.
