Son of a Saint
Son of a Saint, founded by Bivian “Sonny” Lee III, supports fatherless boys in New Orleans through mentorship, education, mental health services, nutrition, and enrichment programs. As the organization expanded, it acquired a 100-year-old masonry icehouse—formerly a co-working space—with the goal of creating a permanent, mission-driven headquarters. We sought to transform the building into a space equipped to serve and reflective of the organization's professionalism and its youth-centered purpose.
Category
Interiors
Education
Community
Adaptive Reuse + Modernization
Size 15,605 SF
Location New Orleans, LA
Year 2022
With a focus on meeting the growing demands for essential services for fatherless young boys - including education, recreation, camaraderie, mentorship, cultural enrichment, emotional support, and beyond – Son of a Saint purchased this historic masonry icehouse to support their unique mission and evolving programming.
Integrating contemporary and flexible elements were essential, including a suspended steel platform and new programmatic masses within the open, expansive 2-story volume of the historic industrial space. The design strikes a balance with a welcoming and playful interior while conveying the professionalism and importance of the organization's mission.
Outcome
The newly designed headquarters for Son of a Saint delivers a space that not only accommodates the nonprofit’s growing programming but also enhances the organization’s ability to serve its community. The thoughtful renovation of the historic icehouse brings immense value by providing a purpose-driven, adaptable environment that aligns with Son of a Saint’s mission of mentorship and support for fatherless young men. By incorporating flexible spaces, such as open lounges for group learning and smaller rooms for private sessions, the design ensures that the facility can seamlessly support both individual growth and community-building activities.
For the mentees, the welcoming and vibrant interiors foster a sense of belonging and pride, creating an uplifting space where they can explore new skills, pursue academic goals, and find emotional support. This design’s attention to natural light, historic preservation, and functional innovation not only serves Son of a Saint’s operational needs but also enriches the New Orleans community by preserving a part of its architectural heritage and adapting it to serve the city's youth. The rooftop addition with panoramic views of the skyline offers a versatile gathering space that further integrates the organization into the city’s fabric, symbolizing opportunity and growth for the young men it serves. Through this thoughtfully designed facility, Son of a Saint can continue to nurture resilience, camaraderie, and empowerment within its community for years to come.
Adaptability for each space is encouraged by varying levels of transparency, scaled adjacencies, and moveable furniture systems, offering use as an open lounge for large tutoring groups on the weekdays and a place where everyone can watch a football game on the weekends with large overhead doors opening to the outside. These larger flex spaces are centralized to smaller rooms that are available for more intimate needs such as quiet study sessions, mental health therapy, and administrative offices.
Design choices, such as maintaining the historic trolley's red color and incorporating glass wall systems to filter natural light, contribute to a visually striking and functional space. Lower “roofs” on new massings allow the existing roof framing to be visible and filter natural light through the larger space from the historic rooftop monitors above.
The flexible kitchen design with moveable furniture accommodates group meals or cooking demonstrations. Drop down receptacles are provided above to power table-top induction ranges at each of the eight cooking stations below.
A rooftop addition with views of the New Orleans skyline provides a unique space, offering respite to older mentees and hosting various programming, including staff meetings, yoga, and networking events. A 25'-0" folding glass wall can be opened to double the usable square footage of the rooftop. The roof also features existing historic monitor style skylights with exposed wood framing. The rooftop addition was located to minimize impact to these historic monitors.
Awards
AIA New Orleans Award of Commendation in Interior Architecture, 2025
Louisiana Landmarks Society Excellence in Historic Preservation, 2023
International Interior Design Association - Delta RegionAward of Excellence in Renovation/Historic Preservation, 2023
Associated Builders and Contractors - Bayou Chapter Excellence in Construction, 2022
Society for Marketing Professional Services Community Service Project of the Year, 2022