
Jack Waterman age: 22
With so much construction predicted for the coming decades, how architects respond to the fabric of existing neighborhoods as they design new buildings and remodel old ones will become an increasingly complex challenge. For a master’s studio project, Waterman designed this library for the French Quarter of New Orleans. Prefabricated panels of brick are a modern take on the materials of the surrounding historic structures, and the library itself creates a new pathway between two formerly disconnected city streets.
“The rise of adaptive use results from more than the new accessibility of digital tools to document, visualize, and construct sustainably within a historic structure. The idea of mixing historic and contemporary has become acceptable. In fact, juxtaposing patina with modern design has become a hallmark of the contemporary style. This is more than just sustainability: Our generation is acknowledging the past in our frontal assault on the future.” —Jack Waterman
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