The Louisiana State Museum is located in Natchitoches, the oldest settlement in the Louisiana Purchase. Set on the banks of the Cane River Lake, the project is inspired by the riverfront setting, early sustainable practices and the 17th century bousillage building technique brought to the region by French settlers.

The Museum’s interior reflects the region’s fluvial geomorphology – the transformation of the landscape from centuries of carving by the meandering river. Sculpted from 1,150 unique cast stone panels, the interior seamlessly integrates building systems and serves as a canvas for exhibitions and films.

The simple, orthogonal container contrasts with the sinuous interior, highlighting the dialogue between the city and the natural environment. The exterior cladding of pleated copper panels employs surface articulation alluding to the louvers found in nearby plantations, used to control light, views and ventilation.