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St. Mary’s Academy High School

Education: High School

We set to work developing a master plan for multiple buildings, which encircled an interior courtyard to create a peaceful central gathering area for students and sisters of the Sisters of the Holy Family.
What we did

Photography

Photos: Neil Alexander

What We Did

While online degrees may be more common today, it doesn’t take away from the beauty and sense of pride a college campus offers students. That was the idea behind this project, but the client was a high school. St. Mary’s Academy approached us with the idea of creating a college campus feel for its new high school. The 100,000 square foot private school was planned on the site of the former school, which was flooded by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans East.

We set to work developing a master plan for multiple buildings, which encircled an interior courtyard. This created a peaceful central gathering area for students and sisters of the Sisters of the Holy Family. The two level open exterior circulation paths connect the educational buildings around the courtyard, promoting social interaction and a sense of campus community. The exterior materials and color scheme were designed to reflect a sense of school pride, bringing in the academy’s colors with blue-glazed brick and cream-colored wire cut brick. After all was said and done with this one, we have to say, we have a little St. Mary’s school pride ourselves.

PhotosNeil Alexander

Project Details

  • High School in New Orleans East
  • 100,000 sq ft
  • Unique design with college-like feel