Don and Lora Peters Academic Center
333 Ben Weiner Drive // tulane.edu/life-tulane/campus-life/athletics
facebook.com/tugreenwave // @tulanegreenwave
Following the January performance of the Tulane football team’s epic and historic Cotton Bowl win, it’s clear the Tulane athletic department has discovered a winning formula. It’s possible that a slice of the department’s success stems from the major renovation and expansion of the circa-1980s Wilson Center.
To reimagine and expand the academic services center, now called the Don and Lora Peters Academic Center, Dr. Charvi Greer, deputy athletic director, student services, worked with studioWTA. Among many priorities for the project was to “meet the standard of similar universities: University of Houston, Arizona State, Wyoming,” and others, according to Julie Babin, studioWTA, partner and architect.
Recently, Greer, Babin and her studioWTA colleague, architect Christophe Blanchard, shared a few of the project details with Biz New Orleans.
What were the design team’s goals for the design?
Julie Babin: Open, flexible and collaborative study spaces, natural light in staff offices, and comfortable and attractive, modernized study space for student-athletes to study and gather independently or in small groups. [To] utilize borrowed light from exterior walls to allow natural light to filter into large, open student-centered group areas. Upgrade [the] suite to reflect vibrant and energetic school spirit and help aid in recruitment. One study room designated as a “quiet” room has extra layers of soundproofing to accommodate special needs and testing in a quiet environment.
Christophe Blanchard: To make the spaces feel larger and less cramped. The original space had fairly low ceilings in the large, open study areas, so we removed the dropped ceilings and added suspended lighting fixtures below the newly painted-out, exposed mechanical ducts. This allows the users to experience the full height of the space available while maintaining appropriate lighting levels and reusing the existing mechanical system as much as possible.
What was the biggest design challenge?
Babin: [The project had a] very small footprint with a robust program that also had to incorporate an existing elevator lobby used to access upper floors in the building. [We created a] large multipurpose classroom that can be subdivided into two smaller rooms via a retractable room divider. The classroom is equipped with large whiteboards and TVs on both sides of the room. [We also] created niche seating [and] waiting spaces within a thickened wall at the entrances to all offices.
How do you set yourselves apart?
Charvi Greer: This space is intended to support the academic, personal and professional development of our student-athletes. We now have a collaborative space for the staff to work both individually and collectively with students to reach their goals. Our motto is to set the standard by which others aspire to achieve, and we focus on providing the best experience possible for our stakeholders.
How do you promote a positive work atmosphere for the staff?
Greer: The Don and Lora Peters Center is an open space that encourages collaboration and staff and student engagement. We empower the staff to be creative in how we utilize the facility and to reimagine what’s possible in the way we do our work.
We are already seeing extremely high usage of our private tutor rooms and classroom. The enclosed spaces are used for group and individual study time and educational meetings. Our students are really enjoying the space, and we are often at capacity.
What goals are you looking to meet in the next 12 months?
Greer: Our goal is to continue to expand the resources available to our student-athletes, coaches and staff in their pursuit of excellence in all its forms.
Quick Look
Opening Date of Renovated Facility
Nov. 19, 2021
Square Footage
Total building — 28,200 square feet; renovated area — 4,440 square feet
Number of Employees
10 full-time staff and 4 graduate assistants are housed in the Don and Lora Peters Academic Center
Person in Charge
Dr. Charvi Greer, deputy athletic director, student services
Architecture
Julie Babin, studioWTA, partner and architect; Christophe Blanchard, studioWTA, architect
Interior design
studioWTA in collaboration with Lindsay Hellwig, Design Project Coordinator at Tulane University
Furnishings and art
Furnishings, Lindsay Hellwig, Tulane University; graphics and Signage, DLR Group
