INDReporter

A Vision for the Future of Urban Architecture in Acadiana

What will the 21st century hold for the future of Acadiana architectural style? The possibilities will be unveiled at our 11th annual INDesign Awards luncheon on April 16, featuring keynote speaker Steve Mouzon, an author and award-winning architect/urban designer known for championing smaller and more sustainable styles of living.

As our region competes for 21st century jobs, Acadiana’s unique culture is a powerful asset that can attract and retain the talent to be successful. But our local communities lack options for high quality city living, a concern addressed head on during Plan Lafayette Week 2015.

Author and award-winning architect/urban designer Steve Mouzon will deliver the keynote speech at the 2015 INDesign Awards luncheon on April 16.

What might an architectural style for urban dwellers in Acadiana look like? That was the question posed by award-winning designer and author Steve Mouzon in meetings with local architects, planners, builders and community activists during Plan Lafayette Week in February. At this year’s INDesign Awards, Mouzon will unveil a vision for the types of living spaces that today’s professional workforce finds most desirable, incorporating the input from Plan Lafayette and adapted for South Louisiana’s climate and culture.

Mouzon is no stranger to our region. As co-founder of The New Urban Guild, he was instrumental in the creation of the Katrina Cottages concept in New Orleans after the storm, which earned the group a Charter Award by the Congress for the New Urbanism. The Guild’s initiative, Project: Smart Dwelling, set out to redefine the American home as smaller, smarter and more sustainable, and The Wall Street Journal featured Steve’s Smart Dwelling I in a recent feature on Green Houses of the Future.

A principal of Mouzon Design in south Florida, his house plans have been featured in Southern Living and Coastal Living, and he has designed award-winning traditional neighborhood developments throughout the Gulf Coast and Caribbean. Steve is a prolific lecturer and the author of five books, including A Living Tradition: Architecture of The Bahamas and The Original Green. He was presented The Barranco Award for Architecture in 2012.

The event, which is part of the IND Monthly Lecture Series presented by IberiaBank, will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the Cajundome Convention Center on Thursday, April 16. Tickets are $45 or $395 for a table of eight. To make a reservation or for more information, contact Robin Hebert Guidry by phone at 337-769-8603 or via email: [email protected].

And check out some of last year’s INDesign Awards winners here.