LSU Barnes Ogden Art & Design Complex Wins IIDA Award of Recognition

On Saturday, October 7th, IIDA Delta Regional held its annual Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) this past weekend in Baton Rouge. The chapter consists of firms throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas. The H/S design team was proud to receive an Award of Recognition for the LSU Barnes Ogden Art & Design Complex. H/S Director of Interior Design Mary Mowad Guiteau and Interiors Studio Production Manager Catie Wiltz were on hand to receive the award. Congratulations to all the winners! We think celebrating good design is always a bright idea!

Holly & Smith Architects Named a 2023 Best Places to Work in Baton Rouge

Holly & Smith Architects was recently named as one of the 2023 Best Places to Work in Baton Rouge. The awards program is a project of the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report and the Greater Baton Rouge SHRM, an affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management and Best Companies Group.

This survey and awards program was created in 2014 to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Baton Rouge, benefiting its economy, its workforce and businesses.  

To be considered for participation, companies had to fulfill the following eligibility requirements:

• Have at least 15 employees working in Baton Rouge;
• Be a for-profit or not-for-profit business;
• Be a publicly or privately held business or government entity/municipality
• Have a facility in Baton Rouge; and
• Must be in business a minimum of 1 year.

Companies from across the region entered the two-part process to determine the Best Places to Work in Baton Rouge. The first part consisted of evaluating each company’s workplace policies, practices, and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. This part of the process was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final rankings. Workforce Research Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Baton Rouge and also analyzed the data and used their expertise to determine the final rankings. 

LSU Barnes Ogden Art & Design Complex Wins AIA Louisiana Merit Award

On Friday, September 29th, AIA Louisiana hosted its annual Design Awards ceremony. Through this program, AIA Louisiana seeks to honor works of distinction by its members and bring outstanding examples of architecture to public attention.

The H/S team was thrilled to receive a Merit Award for LSU Barnes Ogden Art & Design Complex!

Congratulations to our incredible team, especially everyone who worked on this project!

Jury Comments:
“The detailing of the new insertions is well done. The dialogue between new interventions and ex“This adaptive reuse of a series of masonry industrial buildings revealed a light touch – allowing much of the patina of the existing building to continue to read through. The creation of subtle, contemporary links between the buildings further highlighted the relationship between new and old while celebrating the occupiable negative space between the historic structures.”

Michael Holly, AIA, REFP Joins A4LE House of Delegates to Shape Future of Educational Architecture

The Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) has announced the appointment of Michael Holly, AIA, REFP, Founding Principal at Holly & Smith Architects, to the A4LE House of Delegates. The House of Delegates gathers volunteers from various A4LE chapters and provides a platform for discussions, networking, and the exchange of innovative ideas.

Members of the House of Delegates play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the A4LE organization. Their involvement and leadership are essential in advancing the mission of creating innovative learning environments to benefit all students.

Michael and the House of Delegates committee, led by Ryan Bultena, Vice Chair of the A4LE Global Board, are committed to fostering collaboration and leadership in the field of educational architecture.

The group facilitates direct communication to A4LE chapters from the Global Board and often convenes to discuss policy matters, share ideas, and receive updates on the association’s strategic business issues. The Chair-Elect of the Global Board presides over the House of Delegates and sets the meeting agenda each year, which covers a range of topics, including general association updates, financial information, policy changes, training for chapter officers, and the Great Idea Exchange (GID).

Michael Holly’s appointment underscores his dedication and commitment as an A4LE member to the advancement of educational architecture and the creation of dynamic learning environments for students across the globe.

LSU Barnes Ogden Art & Design Complex Wins AIA New Orleans Merit Award

On Thursday, July 13th, AIA New Orleans held its annual Design Awards ceremony at Generations Hall in the city’s Central Business District. Each year their awards program accomplishes three simple yet invaluable goals: celebrate the best of this region’s architecture, recognize achievement in a broad range of architectural work, and inform the public of the breadth and value of architectural practice.

The H/S team was thrilled to receive a Merit Award for LSU Barnes Ogden Art & Design Complex!

Congratulations to our incredible team, especially to everyone who worked on this project!

Jury Comments:
“The detailing of the new insertions is well done. The dialogue between new interventions and existing elements is pragmatic, tactical, and skillful. New additions are obvious not to take away from the renovation of the historic building.”

Delgado Community College – Advanced Technology Center wins AIA New Orleans Commendation Award

On Thursday, July 14th, AIA New Orleans held its annual Design Awards ceremony. Each year their awards program accomplishes three simple yet invaluable goals: celebrate the best of this region’s architecture, recognize achievement in a broad range of architectural work, and inform the public of the breadth and value of architectural practice.

The H/S team was thrilled to receive a Commendation Award for Delgado Community College – Advanced Technology Center!

Congratulations to our incredible team, especially to everyone who worked on this project!

Jury Comments:
“Architecture deferring to nature – this building is a lesson for the students even before they walk in the door. The elegant composition will get even better as the live oak tree that it embraces continues to mature. As a project with a modest construction budget, the jury was impressed with the attention to detail – especially the way the design serves as an “expression” of the STEM program within.”

Holly & Smith Architects opens new office in Lafayette

Allons a Lafayette…The Heart of Acadiana!

Holly & Smith Architects is returning to its roots! We are thrilled to announce that the firm has expanded to southwest Louisiana with a new office in Lafayette.

Around 40 years ago, both H/S founders left the architecture nest at UL Lafayette to find their place in the world. Since then, the organization has grown into a renowned, award-winning, regional design firm with offices in Hammond and New Orleans. The H/S design ethic was incubated in the environment that is the Heart of Acadiana.

The Lafayette studio director is former H/S team member and current professor of architecture at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Geoff Gjertson, AIA.