St. Augustine High School
Enhancing teaching, learning, and athletic experiences through good design.
Opportunity
St. Augustine High School, founded in 1951 in New Orleans, is a college preparatory school for young men, emphasizing academic excellence, moral values, and Christian responsibility. A storied institution, time had taken its toll on the aging campus facilities. While the school made do with existing systems and small modifications over the years, there was ample opportunity to enable the building to enhance the teaching and learning experience, rather than act as an environmental limitation.
Under President/CEO, Mr. Aulston Taylor, the school recently underwent a modernization project, focusing on good design to enhance the teaching and learning experience, ensuring the school stays competitive and its facilities are reflective of its mission for years to come.
St. Augustine's Purple Knights have produced generations of leaders and champions in classrooms, in civic life, and on the field and court. The school’s athletic programs needed a facility to match their status—one capable of supporting fans and athletes alike, with access and equipment upgrades.
The new Rigaud Athletics Center reconfigures the ground floor to support training with new locker rooms, weight and training facilities, and a screening room for reviewing gameplay. The renovation earned historic tax credits through the restoration of a historic stair, and introduced elevator access to the second-story competition court. Upstairs, an expansion to the historic gymnasium was carried out through two additions that house mezzanine spectator space, coaches' offices, and off-season storage. The new high-performance facility uplifts school spirit and supports training, competition, and community gathering.
Outcome
By investing in its facilities, the school creates long-term value for its community by staying competitive with other schools that have undergone noteworthy renovations or constructed new campuses. Good design is not static but adaptable and resilient, ensuring that St. Augustine’s facilities foster engagement and support its mission to serve its students for years to come.
Awards
2025 Louisiana Landmarks Award
The Team
Awards
Louisiana Landmarks SocietyExcellence in Historic Preservation, 2024