John P. Isché Library Commons

In order to better serve students outside the LSU Health Sciences Center’s existing library’s normal hours of operation, the John P. Isché Library Commons was envisioned and developed as a 24/7-operating facility in space formerly dedicated to audio/visual collections and serials. The new space is divided into multimedia rooms, a café and coffee bar (featuring a 1931 Enrique Alférez frieze celebrating the Conquering of Yellow Fever), and several study lounges.

Custom display cases house a multitude of artifacts — establishing a medical gallery for both pleasure and education — and showcase the history of the institution and practice of medicine in the local area. Perhaps the most unique feature of the project is a series of playful, provocative CNC-routed screens (fabricated byFour Corners, LLC) designed using abstracted medical imagery — fat cells, neurons, and heart muscles. As a composition, the cases and screens together define the various lounges and offer opportunities for both independent and group study. Improved lighting, custom furniture, and quality finishes combine to reinvent the previously inactive library, improving quality of life for faculty, staff, and students.

Location LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans Completed 2009 Size 5,200 sf