Studio West, New Orleans, LA (2026)

05/07/2026

Following the closure of the beloved Upperline in 2020, we are deeply honored to help steward a new chapter for this storied Uptown landmark alongside Mia Devillier and Chef Justin Devillier as it transforms into Daughter's Neighborhood Italian.

While thoughtfully honoring JoAnn Clevenger’s enduring legacy of cuisine, art, and community, we are excited to take part in restoring and reimagining this historic property for its next life — including the revival of the building’s long-underutilized second floor while defining the restaurant's new interior palette and program.

A glimpse into a few construction photos from earlier this week!

04/20/2026

It is with great honor and heartfelt gratitude to share that we have been selected for the permanent installation of the French Quarter Terrorism Attack Memorial. Alongside our dear friends and collaborators from Second Line in the Sky, Babette Beaullieu .Beaullieu, and Jan Gilbert .gilbert.771, and with the recent addition and expertise of Spackman Mossop Michaels, we are deeply inspired to continue taking part in this collective journey for our local community to thoughtfully and intentionally honor the lives and families affected by the tragic attack on January 1, 2025.

As an extension of Second Line in the Sky, our proposal, Embrace, will beckon the wider community and visitors alike as a place for healing, peace, resilience, and remembering.

President of Fourteens Foundation and survivor of the attack, Brittany Francois, captures our vision and intentions well: “This is not just a project. It is something deeply personal, something that carries memory, emotion, and meaning for so many.... This piece will be something that will speak not only to this moment, but to generations to come. It’s a promise that these lives, these stories, will never be forgotten.”

Grounded in New Orleans tradition and community, we look forward to sharing more and welcome each of you into the process as the project evolves.

04/04/2026

If you’ve been wondering what’s been causing the holdup at Algiers Ferry Terminal the past few days…here’s why!

We’ve been working alongside the Regional Transit Authority New Orleans Regional Transit Authority to revitalize this historic, decommissioned ferry terminal along the Mississippi River so it can soon accommodate the RTA's pedestrian-only ferry.

Here’s a sneak peek of the terminal demolition well underway, just before the bridge lift that temporarily paused ferry service this week.

As of Friday, we are happy to report that the ferry is now open once again!

03/13/2026

Nestled in the French Quarter, the Gallier House was designed and built in 1860 by prolific architect James Gallier Jr. as his private residence and is home to some of New Orleans’ earliest innovations, including a residential skylight and indoor plumbing with a flushing toilet.

Alongside local architect Robert Cangelosi, Studio West recently had the pleasure of carefully preserving Gallier House, guided by a vision to maintain the same spirit of craft, invention, and architectural possibility that first defined it. In the first phase of the project, Studio West partnered with decorative arts designer and artisan craftswoman Sylvia Thompson of Sylvia T Designs to help return the house to its original 19th-century character.

Celebrating the building’s ornamentation and material richness, the restoration focused on the front façade, where each Quincy granite element was carefully granitized and cast-iron elements, shutters, and ornamental details meticulously refabricated—a thorough process guided by historic paint studies and layered faux finishes to ensure the restoration felt authentic rather than overdesigned.

Pictured here are the building’s exterior ornamental capital leaves—originally cast in lead—carefully removed, studied, fully refabricated, and reinstalled.

03/05/2026

Studio West's recent collaboration with and the rest of the Chada team, just in time for their January opening.

Chada, named after a traditional Thai headdress, transforms this quaint, rectilinear historic New Orleans home into a vibrant restaurant, reflecting a palette of cultural and culinary influences spanning Thailand and the Philippines—the native roots of the owners.

Warm blues and golds, accented with Thai-inspired details, convey the generous hospitality of both Thai and New Orleans culture, with a flexible approach to dining. The narrow floor plan allows the restaurant to function as a single dining experience or as an immersive exploration of Thai and Filipino heritage, highlighted by the separation of the central kitchen.

Many thanks to all who came together to make this chef-led design come to life.

02/10/2026

Situated just off Magazine Street in New Orleans’ Lower Garden District is the longtime office of our friends at .nola.

With last October’s ASLA conference on the horizon, the team saw an opportunity for a thoughtful refresh—nothing over the top - inspiring a design that hinged upon restraint, detail, and creative thinking.

Studio West approached the project as a chance to more closely reflect SMM’s identity as a landscape architecture practice grounded in ecology, craft, and design. Through a series of nimble interventions— warm colors that accent the space, updated lighting, and subtle adjustments to the plan—the workspace transformed into a functional yet welcoming studio for daily work, gathering, and collaboration.

With the office tucked on the second floor, the arrival is anchored by a hand-painted native prairie mural by the wonderful dream team . Composed entirely of regionally specific species, the mural sets the tone for a space that reflects both the spirit of the practice and the landscapes that continue to shape its work.

02/08/2026

We were honored to work with a Louisiana original——on the creation of their second home. Transforming an underutilized warehouse along Tchoupitoulas Street into a 7.5-barrel brewery and taproom that brings craft, culture, and community together under one roof. Designed as a natural extension of Abita’s legacy, the space blends indoor and outdoor gathering areas and adds new energy to what’s becoming New Orleans’ own Brewery Row.

Also, a great place to watch the Superbowl this weekend.

02/06/2026

Soil cell installation underway at LaSalle Plaza!

At LaSalle Plaza in New Orleans — part of the broader city-wide Tulane Avenue Streetscape & Plazas project in collaboration with Tulane University Tulane University and SCAPE — we are installing a series of soil cells from Silva Cell beneath the new paving, setting the stage for large-growing street trees and vastly enhanced stormwater management for the Downtown Campus. These suspended pavement systems support heavy loads while providing uncompacted soil volumes that help roots thrive and treat runoff right on site.

By integrating soil cells beneath plazas and walkways, the new landscape will promote greater tree health and manage stormwater in a way that mimics the site’s natural hydrology— key to building resilience in New Orleans’ downtown public realm.

01/08/2026

Kicking off 2026 with a profile of Studio West founder Jennie West, featured as Designer of the Day in Surface Magazine . Exploring all things New Orleans—music, art, food, historic craftsmanship, and the spirit of lagniappe - the Louisiana French term for “a little something extra.”

Special thanks to for making this happen!
Photos by Pableaux Johnson, Andrew Welch & Jacqueline Marque

https://www.surfacemag.com/articles/designer-of-the-day-jennie-west/?utm_source=Surface+Magazine+Design+Dispatch&utm_campaign=99d24fdb56-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2026_01_02_09_45&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-99d24fdb56-514838582 #

01/02/2026

2025 has been a year of meaningful growth. More than anything, it reaffirmed how essential community is in shaping designs that hold cultural depth and a sense of identity and care. With the tragic attacks on Bourbon Street on the first day of 2025, this past year required a strong need for connection and exemplified the healing power of collaboration — and we are sincerely grateful to have been a part of this journey with so many of you.

We had the privilege of working alongside many thoughtful folks who share a similar vision for care and placemaking, such as the Downtown Development District of New Orleans Downtown Development District of New Orleans who, in looking back, happen to be featured in many of this year’s highlights with us, including the French Quarter murals for the Super Bowl — a project rooted in community and shared experience; the Downtown BioDistrict Lighting Plan; and the illumination of Tulane University’s ongoing campus transformation — all of which involved thoughtful coordination, public engagement, deep listening, and creativity in art and place-making.

Along the way, we celebrated the recognition of Karnofsky’s Tailor Shop in and our recently completed project, Saint‑Germain in the Bywater neighborhood, for receiving their first Michelin star — equally meaningful reminders of how care and craft go hand in hand. We successfully bid the RTA Algiers Ferry Terminal Renovation with Regional Transit Authority which started construction last month. All of these collaborative efforts culminated in perhaps the most significant moment of the year: the Second Line in the Sky temporary memorial and lighting installation on Bourbon Street, a huge community effort that we are happy to end the year with and that honors the first anniversary of the attacks going into 2026 — a project that was also greatly supported by DDD as well as our friends at among many others.

We remain humbled by the growth this year and the inspiring people we have been lucky to be surrounded by. Wishing you a healthy 2026 — here’s to another year with you!

12/10/2025

A storied site makes way for a new chapter as this week’s groundbreaking marks the beginning of the RTA Algiers Ferry Terminal’s revitalization along the Mississippi River.

Jennie West, Studio West founder, shares her reflections: "So much of our work centers around supporting the city and its communities by strengthening and expanding opportunities for connection, especially in places with deep cultural resonance that have shaped the social fabric for generations. Collaborating with the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority has been a true honor. This groundbreaking marks an important milestone for our design firm, as this project reflects the values and purpose that drive our practice. We look forward to continuing our work on this project and creating a thoughtful, dynamic program that celebrates the stories and cultural heritage rooted in this site, and look forward to welcoming the community here soon."

Congratulations to our incredible team, and stay tuned for more updates.

Studio West

05/07/2026

04/20/2026

04/04/2026

03/13/2026

03/05/2026

02/10/2026

02/08/2026

02/06/2026

01/08/2026

01/02/2026

12/10/2025

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