Partner | Architect

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B. Arch, Tulane University
Joined studioWTA Mardi Gras, 2003

Growing up in Boca Raton, Florida, Tracie spent her summers in the Florida Keys with her family. The laid-back atmosphere, Caribbean-influenced architecture, and inclusive community spirit made Key West one of her favorite places to spend time. Upon visiting Tulane University before officially applying to their architecture program, she was struck by the myriad similarities between New Orleans and Key West; these similarities played a large part in her decision to apply to Tulane. Throughout her five-year degree program, her love for New Orleans only grew, as she learned the intricacies of the city, its incredible history, and the beautiful urban fabric of its architecture, which beautifully enables modern architecture to coexist with existing buildings as part of the living history of the city.

Having been mentored by Wayne since graduating in 2002, Tracie has found great enjoyment in exploring the ways in which modern design can be integrated into historic architecture through materials and technology. This drive was cultivated during her time in the Tulane School of Architecture, where she participated in study abroad summer trips to Russia, Spain, and Portugal, and by her fourth year abroad at the Mackintosh School of Architecture in Glasgow, Scotland. Protecting and celebrating New Orleans’ historic architecture is a central focus of the firm, and one in which Tracie finds great creative potential. This includes not only preservation and rehabilitation of existing buildings, but inserting new buildings into the urban fabric which work within their context.

In 2016, Tracie became a partner at studioWTA, along with Wayne, and her colleague, Julie Babin. She looks forward to many years of great collaboration with her partners and with the highly talented designers in the firm, who work together every day to create work that is carefully considered, elegantly detailed, and which elevate the practice of architecture in New Orleans every day.

Outside of her architectural pursuits, Tracie finds great enjoyment in her work with the New Orleans Film Society. She has been a jury screener of film festival submissions for more than ten years, and has, for the past three years, served as the Secretary on the Society’s Board of Directors. Taking inspiration from the Mark Twain quote that “travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness…”, Tracie sees film as a unique art form which allows viewers–who may not have the means or opportunity to experience other cultures–to become immersed in alternate viewpoints and see the far reaches of the world, and which can start to break down some of the societal barriers that arise from fear of the unknown.

Photo by Zack Smith Photography