Acadia Parish Conference Center Trahan Architects

Located to the north-east of Crowley, a small town in Louisiana known to be the “Rice Capital of America”, the Acadia Parish Conference Center by Trahan Architects will mediate the threshold between the urban development to the west and the agricultural fields to the east. Envisioned as an extension of the landscape, the center creates a harmonic balance between the two environments, expressing the importance of local agricultural.

Courtesy of Trahan Architects

Responding to its context, the new facility emerges from the east and rises toward the west. Contours follow the natural topography, controlling water run-off and delineating rice paddies. Rice is the primary economy in the Parish and city of Crowley, creating a beautiful mosaic that blankets the landscape. The advancement of technology has transformed rice fields to a more efficient orthogonal configuration that is reflected in the layout of the conference center.

Courtesy of Trahan Architects

Expressed as four bars, the primary programmatic elements of the center include a dining room, lecture hall, conference rooms and a ballroom. Subtle variations are dictated by the programmatic requirements of each space, resulting in a more intuitive user interface.

Courtesy of Trahan Architects

As a percentage of the site is allocated for amenities such as education and environmental awareness, the conference center can become an educational tool to inform the greater public about sustainability, agriculture and local flora.