Studio West

Architecture and interior design for new and historic projects. We design educational, hospitality, and cultural spaces.

06/11/2026

When we first launched Studio West, we definitely didn't have it on our bingo card that we'd one day be designing a pink playhouse for the infamous burlesque drag duo, Kitten N' Lou.

When the couple first approached us with their vision—to transform what was previously a bakery, saloon, and hair salon into a snowball stand, performance space, and antique shop, with their residential suite upstairs—we were in awe of their imagination and kind of couldn't say no. We knew from the start that this would be a collaboration filled with play, color, and creativity.

Appropriately named Chance in Hell, as in, a snowball's chance in hell - has been featured in this month's issue of The Architect's Newspaper, perfectly captured by Jesse Dorris.

Sharing a few of our favorites from the project, but be sure to grab yourself a snowball at Chance in Hell Snowballs while it's still summer!

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 #

Address

New Orleans, LA

Telephone

+15043809880

Website

http://studiowest.design/

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