Will Tregre, AIA & Angela Morton, AIA
Principal/ President
Principal
Mathes Brierre Architects
Founded in New Orleans in 1891, Mathes Brierre Architects (MBA) maintains a diverse design practice with a client-centered approach. The firm’s portfolio includes music and performance venues, corporate offices, educational facilities, renovations, new construction, and every type of commercial space. Notable projects include The National WWII Museum, the LSUHSC Foundation headquarters, and the original NOCCA campus. MBA’s collaborative studio environment includes architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture.
Angela Morton is one of five principals of the firm, leading the practice for educational environments and master-planning activities. Will Tregre is a principal and the president of MBA.
What are you most excited about in the coming year? We’re excited about the diverse projects on our plate! From state-of-the-art labs at Tulane University’s medical school and The Beach (UNO’s R&T Park), to restoring the organ at the historic St. Charles Presbyterian Church, to outdoor environments for Live Oak School, and libraries from Grambling to Mississippi. We’re also spearheading an economic study and a masterplan for a major development.
Last year, we embraced the AIA’s 2030 Challenge to reduce the building sector’s carbon footprint. This year, we’re setting new goals to optimize efficiency and energy use across all our projects.
As we approach 135 years in business, we’re rolling out a new strategic plan to guide our evolution and set a visionary path for the next 20 years of design services.
What is the biggest challenge facing your industry today? Our biggest challenges now are also our biggest opportunities. As we emerge from the cost spikes and delays caused by COVID, we’re tackling construction and design challenges with innovative solutions — doing more with less: fewer materials, less space, lower carbon and reduced costs. This includes redeveloping office towers into mixed-use residential spaces and repurposing big-box retail into new schools.
Amidst the surge of new technology and programs aimed at “efficiency,” we’re reminded that our most powerful tool remains the human brain and the connections we create.
