The Standard at South Market
237,000 square feet
15 stories, 89 units
New Orleans, Louisiana
2018
The Standard is a new multifamily building in the burgeoning South Market District in downtown New Orleans. Inspired by the neighborhood’s historic significance as a hub for industry and commerce, and as home to one of the city’s most prolific architectural ironwork factories, the design of The Standard echoes the rhythms and materials of old warehouses and industrial structures. It also reflects the neighborhood’s modern context at the intersection of the city’s business and arts districts.
Balancing modernist ideals and industrial forms, The Standard’s tower is an apt fit for the city’s skyline. Operable factory-inspired square windows are set in a regular grid of deep metal frames that project outward from the iron-colored cladding. These recesses and projections create an interplay of light and shadow that recalls the depth and complexity of the city’s historic façades.
The elegant simplicity of the metal-clad exterior is balanced by the richness of the interiors, where a palette of stone, bronze, and wood gives the lobby and common spaces a timeless charm. The building’s 89 one- to three-bedroom units are characterized by high ceilings, large windows, and a focus on craft, with saw-cut oak floors, mosaic tiles, and custom walnut cabinetry milled by local craftsmen.
To draw more pedestrian traffic to the quickly growing neighborhood, the building has a two-story, base that introduces 24,000 square feet of double-height retail space with frontage on three streets including Julia Street, the main thoroughfare of the city’s Arts District. These retail spaces accommodate boutiques and galleries, extending the lively gallery-lined promenade of Julia Street. At the top of the base, a private 30,000-square-foot deck features a large saltwater pool, cabanas, and outdoor kitchens.
The Standard’s clearly defined three-story base continues the architectural scale established by the historic buildings of the Warehouse District. The tower helps the neighborhood transition to a new scale.
The Standard's residential lobby doubles as a public exhibition space, extending the gallery-lined promenade of Julia Street.
Private cabanas around the pool create an oasis in the middle of the city. In addition to the saltwater swimming pool and surrounding cabanas, the 30,000-square-foot terrace features an outdoor kitchen, dining spaces, and a garden landscape of native plants including elm, magnolia, and fig trees.
Image Credits
- Neil Alexander
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