The Water Campus

[richyb83]

Coleman Partners, Perkins+Will tapped to design first Water Campus building
 

Locally based Coleman Partners Architects, in a joint venture with global architect Perkins+Will, has been selected to design the first building on the Water Campus. The $20 million, 45,000-square-foot building will be built on the Baton Rouge City Dock and will serve as the headquarters of the new research and interpretive center located on the Mississippi River between the LSU campus and downtown. The building will include an interpretive gallery, exhibit areas, offices and research labs, as well as meeting and conference facilities. Buddy Ragland, Coleman Partners principal, says in a prepared statement that the firm is honored to be working on a project that will not only be "transformative for the skyline of Baton Rouge, but … will enhance the efforts of the Water Institute of the Gulf to meet its mission to research, restore and enhance our coastal environments." The joint venture by Coleman Partners and Perkins+Will was recently selected by a Water Campus committee from among four finalists that submitted bids to design the first building. "The building on the dock will return Baton Rouge to the riverfront, extend the revival of downtown to the Nicholson corridor and be an emblem for the future of our region," says Baton Rouge Area Foundation President and CEO John Davies. Learn more about the Water Campus in a recent Business Report cover story on the project. —Staff report

 

http://www.businessreport.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=daily-reportPM&date=20140407

[Renzo]

I wonder which P+W office is taking this one. I was lucky enough to spend some time in the Dallas office. They do some good work. 

[dan326]

Hmm,  City Plaza 1 is  170,000 Sq ft and  City  Plaza  2 is  260,000 so I'm not sure if this building will be that tall but,  it will probably still be very nice for 20$ million. 

[Antrell Williams]

They say it will transform the skyline, it will be easy to disappoint here.

[buckett5425]

I think its how you interpret "transform the skyline"....the building isn't going to be tall, 3 stories max depending on the final scheme that is selected. Several schemes were presented by the CP & P+W team.

It his however in a prominent location along the riverfront so height isn't as much of a factor when considering how it will "transform the skyline."

[Antrell Williams]

I'm not worried about height, just the design for such a prominent building.

[ehyfield]

And visible when crossing the river. There will be nothing to hide it if it's a bad design.

[richyb83]

This......a very prominent location...so glad the Old City Dock will be transformed!

I think its how you interpret "transform the skyline"....the building isn't going to be tall, 3 stories max depending on the final scheme that is selected. Several schemes were presented by the CP & P+W team.

It his however in a prominent location along the riverfront so height isn't as much of a factor when considering how it will "transform the skyline."

[Antrell Williams]

so glad the Old City Dock will be transformed!

I will miss it.

[timelordnerd]

I will miss it.

Are you moving?   

[Antrell Williams]

LOL No, I spent time there as a kid, taking pictures, hanging out.

[timelordnerd]

LOL No, I spent time there as a kid, taking pictures, hanging out.

Oh okay 

[Renzo]

LOL No, I spent time there as a kid, taking pictures, hanging out.

 Almost seems like a tradition. I did the same thing when I was in highschool.

[Antrell Williams]

 Almost seems like a tradition. I did the same thing when I was in highschool.

Lot's of people did, that's why I would like to see some kind of park, even if it is selfish of me.

[cajun]

They say it will transform the skyline, it will be easy to disappoint here.

The one in question will be very visible and very important. It's unique location affords the architect a lot of opportunity to build something iconic. It will not enhance the skyline by what I think is your definition (lots of tall buildings).

[Antrell Williams]

The one in question will be very visible and very important. It's unique location affords the architect a lot of opportunity to build something iconic. It will not enhance the skyline by what I think is your definition (lots of tall buildings).

Lot's of tall building is an enhancement in my eyes, but that's not what I was talking about here. Baton Rouge doesn't get very many architecturally daring buildings so my hopes are high, it will be easy to let me down here.

[oneman83]

A 45,000-square-foot building at the old city dock is not a lot of space to do anything with in my opinion.  I've visited both of the architect’s websites and tried to find buildings similar in square footage and I wasn’t impressed by any of the design.  I think the City of Baton Rouge has a golden opportunity with a blank canvas to do something magnificent with the design of the Old City Dock and the Water Campus as a whole.  At least let the buildings have some sort of LED lighting.

[Mr. Burnham]

A 45,000-square-foot building at the old city dock is not a lot of space to do anything with in my opinion.  I've visited both of the architect’s websites and tried to find buildings similar in square footage and I wasn’t impressed by any of the design.  I think the City of Baton Rouge has a golden opportunity with a blank canvas to do something magnificent with the design of the Old City Dock and the Water Campus as a whole.  At least let the buildings have some sort of LED lighting.

I heard the Trahan Architects are from here and have produced many proposals for buildings here? Why the hell does the city not let them design them?

[cajun]

I heard the Trahan Architects are from here and have produced many proposals for buildings here? Why the hell does the city not let them design them?

.....or they can pick the best firm for the job. Just because they might be based in Chicago or Atlanta doesn't mean they can't do a great job in Baton Rouge.

Edited May 1, 2014 by cajun

[buckett5425]

That's why you see joint venture arrangements. It allows an out of state firm to be considered for a job they may not have been and allows an instate firm to beef up their credentials.  Which is why Perkins + Will is designing the project while the local firm Coleman Partners is doing project management.

 

[Renzo]

 At least let the buildings have some sort of LED lighting.

 

I don't know what the consensus here is on LED lighting but I feel like it does a lot to accent a skyline (when done correctly)

[oneman83]

I don't think the Water Campus will live up to the hype. I'm thinking of a watered down type of rendering of the whole project. Cmon Baton Rouge do something that will appeal to people internationally and make the Capitol City an international destination.

[Antrell Williams]

I don't think the Water Campus will live up to the hype. I'm thinking of a watered down type of rendering of the whole project. Cmon Baton Rouge do something that will appeal to people internationally and make the Capitol City an international destination.

That sounds more like River Park. The Water Campus is in a perfect location with River District and with a possible BRT/light-rail on Nicholson. I'm pretty confident in it at this point.

[buckett5425]

It's going to be nice, the only thing that concerns me is the phasing of the project.

First impressions count, and sometimes you need the full impact of the development to sustain the viability of it. Unfortunately with project phasing, the first impression can be underwhelming and likelihood of future phases starts to wane with the lack of public interest with the first phase.

However, because the state is so heavily involved with the project, it makes the success of it more likely, but at the same time is more susceptible to changing political landscapes. Time will tell... 

[Mr. Burnham]

It's going to be nice, the only thing that concerns me is the phasing of the project.

First impressions count, and sometimes you need the full impact of the development to sustain the viability of it. Unfortunately with project phasing, the first impression can be underwhelming and likelihood of future phases starts to wane with the lack of public interest with the first phase.

However, because the state is so heavily involved with the project, it makes the success of it more likely, but at the same time is more susceptible to changing political landscapes. Time will tell... 

I think the Louisiana is one of the more 'every body is in the same bed' places. This state has a very stable political climate.