704 Marigny
704 Marigny St.
New Orleans, Louisiana
Collaborators:
Wayne Troyer FAIA
Ross Karsen
Tracie Ashe AIA
Julie Babin
Sandra Tomasetti
2016 AIA Louisiana Merit Award
Photography:
Neil Alexander
Originally constructed between 1809 and 1836 as a one story brick corner store with a two story detached kitchen, this existing Marigny building was converted to a residence in the 1880s, with a wood framed second floor and traditional iron gallery added in 1886. Multiple renovations over the years resulted in a convoluted structure of which very little of the original was evident. Utilizing careful research and extensive documentation, this renovation was able to restore the simplicity of the historic interior while adding modern conveniences and technology to enhance the owners’ experience.
A series of distinct living suites were developed and detailed: The owners inhabit the second floor of the main building; the first floor is one guest suite, and the detached dependency is a second guest suite. Existing available space in the main house limited the owners’ suite, so the attic was integrated as extended living space for home theater and office, accessed via a compact, spiral steel stair, and three dormers were added to provide natural light.
Throughout the buildings, existing architectural features informed the development of custom millwork, finish and fixture selection, and detailing specific to each suite. Building systems can be controlled from the owners’ suite via extensive home automation infrastructure.