BENITO JUAREZ JR
CARDINAL COVE
Mandeville, LA
My fourth year of undergrad hosts my favorite project of all: The Cardinal Cove at Safe Haven.
This project was led by Professor Andrew Baque, alongside fellow student collaborators
Grace Gallagher (Architecture), Holland Garner (Architecture), Margaret Geraci (Interior Design), and Kat Hightower (Landscape Architecture).
In this optional studio, we were given a rare chance at being able to work with real clients:
Safe Haven Rehabilitation Center in Mandeville, LA, and members of the 22nd Judicial Court.
In this project, we collaborated closely with the clients in developing both a campus masterplan for renovations/expansions on existing buildings and a 20 year potential masterplan.
As a studio, we were broken up into smaller teams to tackle the
different service providers within the larger Safe Haven campus. Our team, the Cardinal Cove, focused on renovating and expanding an existing set of buildings that will be dedicated for
second-chance veterans from the Veterans Court.
The Master Plan
Cardinal Cove currently consists of only four housing buildings and one common space building. Our plan is to break the strategy in two phases: phase one renovates only the existing buildings, and phase two expands with new construction. The “Vision Plan” seeks to be sought out in the overall 20 year master plan.
Our phase two plan creates a tiered living system which graduates veterans every eight months through three tiers of housing; each tier of living giving the veteran more and more independence.
COMMUNITY CENTER EXPANSION
Although we as a team schemed the overall site programming of Cardinal Cove, I particularly focused on the expansion of the community center. The community center’s expanded building seeks to be the
central, social pillar of Cardinal Cove, which waypoints the center with a tower that is in height,
reminiscent of the pines that surround. Its exterior spaces encourage chanced, social interactions as
veterans traverse through Cardinal Cove’s center.
The community center expansion pulls the entertainment and relaxation spaces into their own building. The existing building will be turned into a larger dining room to accommodate the increase of patrons with the expansion of Cardinal Cove. It includes a larger study, more seating areas, more bathrooms, and a larger recreation area for community use.
CARDINAL COVE: FOLLOW UP
Months after the semester and project were concluded, Brigadier General Michael A. Cushman (Ret.) came to LSU, along with Safe Haven Director Mary Burckell via Zoom, to personally thank and award the Cardinal Cove team for our contributions to Safe Haven, and the Veteran Court’s vision for veteran wellness in Mandeville. Along with awarding our five-membered team with Challenge Coins, General Cushman wrote us each a letter of gratitude. It was at this follow up meeting that we were also informed that our project helped Safe Haven purchase the land which
Cardinal Cove sat on, which was previously owned by neighboring property owners.
Even if our exact schematics never get used in the long run, I am still grateful for the project experience, and knowing that our work has made a difference in our client’s journey towards vision fulfillment. Without a doubt, this project taught me the most of all my schooling thus far. In this project I learned what it meant to have a relationship with an actual client, what it’s like to collaborate with multiple disciplinaries, how research based design helps improve credibility, and of course, how to design as a team.
FOLLOW UP LETTER
From Brigadier General Michael A. Cushman, USAF (Ret.)
"Dear Mr. Juarez,
Thank You for your excellent work in planning and concept design of the future Veteran Village at Cardinal Cove on the Safe Haven campus. Your efforts on this critical project are so much appreciated. Here is why:
Your creativeness has made a number of improvements on several aspects of the original architectural design concept.
Your thorough and impressive research into the VA facility requirements advanced the design integrity.
And, you rendered a specialized service of value within an innovative working arrangement among LSU Interior Design - College of Art & Design, the St. Tammany Parish Government, and the 22nd Judicial District Veterans Court.
Whenever a person tells me, 'Thank you for your service,' I respond 'Thank you for your country; but please know we all do our part.' You, Mr. Juarez, have certainly done your part in support of those veterans who will one day reside at Cardinal Cove Veterans Village. And for this, I thank you sincerely.
I wish you the very best as your continue your studio.
Sincerely
Michael A. Cushman"
