Tipton Associates is proud to celebrate two recent recognitions that underscore our commitment to thoughtful design, community stewardship, and lasting impact in Louisiana.
The Baton Rouge Growth Coalition honored the Baton Rouge Center for Visual and Performing Arts (RHH/Tipton Associates JV) with a 2025 Good Growth Award, recognizing developments that “raise the bar” for quality, innovation, and positive community impact in the region.
Replacing an outdated, sprawling campus on South Acadian Thruway, the new two-story Baton Rouge Center for Visual and Performing Arts transforms the student experience in this East Baton Rouge Parish Schools magnet program. The design unites Pre-K through 5th grade students—including an early childhood education center—under one roof, with purpose-built spaces for dance, music, and visual arts that place creativity at the core of education.
Equally transformative, the new site plan resolves long-standing traffic congestion on South Acadian with smart growth solutions: separated car and bus entrances, a three-lane carpool loop, and improved on-site parking to ease daily circulation for parents, buses, and commuters. The project’s bold architecture, enriched by an interior color story inspired by the full spectrum of the arts, signals both energy and inclusion—reflecting the school’s role as a community anchor. Our consultants include Salas O’Brien, Fox-Nesbit, Electrical Design Solutions, Intelligent Transport Systems, and McKnight Landscape Architects. The general contractor is Ratcliff/VPG Construction (JV), and the client’s program manager is CSRS, a Westwood company.
Our team’s dedication to preserving Louisiana’s architectural legacy was also recognized with the Stewardship Award from the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation for the renovation and addition to the Huey P. Long Fieldhouse (RHH/Tipton Associates JV) at Louisiana State University.
Originally completed in 1932, the Fieldhouse is one of LSU’s most beloved and storied landmarks. The design team approached its transformation with deep respect for the building’s historic fabric—restoring key features while sensitively introducing new program elements that extend the life and relevance of this campus icon. The result is a seamless blend of preservation and innovation, honoring the building’s past while equipping it to serve future generations of students. The Fieldhouse was recognized earlier this year with an AIA Baton Rouge Rose Award. Consultants include George T. Fore, Gelnsler, Fox-Nesbit, AST, and CARBO. The general contractor is Arkel.
Together, these two recognitions highlight the breadth of what good design can achieve—energizing an arts education program for generations of local students and safeguarding an irreplaceable piece of Louisiana’s architectural heritage.
We are honored to share these awards with our clients, partners, and the many community stakeholders who make this work possible.