The Shaw Center for the Arts and the building connected to it, the Auto Hotel, are located in Baton Rouge, the capital city of Louisiana. Regionally, the site is located in East Baton Rouge Parish along the Mississippi River. Locally, the site is located in the downtown area. Found in the heart of downtown is the Arts and Entertainment District. The Shaw Center for the Arts is the hub of art in downtown Baton Rouge. The Shaw Center for Arts is a contemporary visual and performing arts facility. It features the Manship Theatre, LSU Museum of Art, LSU School of Art Gallery, Forward Arts, as well as dining and retail options. The Auto Hotel features a coffee shop, restaurant, offices, classrooms, and museum storage. I selected the Shaw Center and Auto Hotel because the existing buildings are providing a means for growth and development through arts and entertainment related activities to Baton Rouge. Yet, there is still a significant absence in appreciation for artist culture in this city. The goal is to expand this district that has a balance of arts and entertainment and a positive reflection of Baton Rouge. Merging the existing spaces including the Manship Theatre, LSU Museum of Art, LSU School of Art Gallery with an arts high school will expand the demographic of the building. It will also dedicate the entire building solely to the arts. The addition of Baton Rouge Center for Creative Arts will not only help the Arts and Entertainment District grow, but it will also raise awareness in the community to support the arts and our youth.

EXISTING CONDITIONS

LOCATION AND ADDRESS:

100 Lafayette St, Baton Rouge, LA 70801

EXTERIOR CIRCULATION – SITE ACCESS:

The site allows for safe walkability to the Shaw Center and its adjacent buildings. The building can be widely accessed by motor vehicles such as cars, buses, and service/equipment trucks.

EXTERIOR CIRCULATION – BUILDING ACCESS:

The Shaw Center is mainly accessed from either the Lafayette street or the Third street entrance. The building is ADA accessible with sidewalks and walking paths leading from the street to the two main entrances. ADA standards are also met and implemented throughout the building.

EXISTING SITE PLAN:

SITE ANALYSIS:

SERVICE FUNCTIONS AND LOCATIONS

Service areas within the Arts & Entertainment District must be carefully sited to be easily accessible, while remaining hidden from direct view from the primary or side streets (Couvillion, Chen, and Boley 2011). This can generally be accomplished by adhering to the following guidelines. Utility areas, mechanical equipment or designated loading spaces shall be located at the rear of buildings (Couvillion, Chen, and Boley 2011). Service areas should be designed to be part of the primary building and should not detract from the aesthetic appeal of the district. Screening: All dumpsters, exterior private trash receptacles, exposed storage areas, machinery, service areas, truck loading areas, utility buildings, air conditioning units and other similar structures shall be screened from view from neighboring properties and streets with the same materials, color and/or style as the primary building in order to be architecturally compatible with the primary building. Utility areas, mechanical equipment or designated loading spaces shall be located at the rear or on rooftop of buildings or so as not to be visible from any public street. All roof equipment must be screened from public view so as not to be visible from any public street. Any receptacle provided for public use shall match in style and color with the existing Downtown standard, as set forth in the Downtown Visitors Amenity Plan. For new buildings and major renovations as defined herein, utilities and dumpsters shall be incorporated into the building within the property line, not located at the corners, and not visible to the pedestrian (Couvillion, Chen, and Boley 2011).

OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS

The location of the Baton Rouge School of the Arts is beneficial for users because it is located in the hub of the art district downtown. Students will be inspired by the LSU museum of art, and by the guest performances in the Manship theater. Also, the community will be inspired by the talent and creativity of the students; therefore, raising awareness of the importance of the arts and the education of our youth. The lack of usable outdoor space is a constraint of the site. Landscaping the existing terraces will provide more landscape and access to the outdoors. Close proximity to surrounding businesses, events occurring in the building, and guest visitors may cause unwanted noise. Clearly defining private and public spaces will solve this issue. Large windows and curtain walls allow abundant daylight from every façade of the building. This is a notable feature as views and natural light are an important aspect of sustainable design, and to the health of users. The location of the elevator core near the entrance of the space is optimal for easy navigation of the facility. The Shaw Center was built in 2005, and the Auto Hotel was also renovated at this time. So, it is currently up to date with Louisiana’s building codes and standards.