The last armed conflict between the United States and Britain took place on Jan. 8, 1815 on a field in Chalmette, La. The Battle of New Orleans was the last battle fought in the War of 1812, and a bicentennial celebration will be held on Jan. 8, 2015 to commemorate the event.
The University School of Art and Design held a contest to design a memorial for the bicentennial.
Jurors listened to two proposals on a new Battle of New Orleans memorial Friday in the University’s College of Art and Design, choosing landscape architecture firm Design Workshop, of Aspen, Colo., as the winner.
University alumnus, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Design Workshop Kurt Culbertson presented his company’s winning design that focused more on an experience rather than just a monument to commemorate the battle.
Currently the battlefield in Chalmette remains mostly an empty field except for an obelisk monument and visitors center. Design Workshop’s plan hopes to give visitors a more intimate experience when visiting the site.
The company’s concept gives visitors a walking experience of the battlefield confined to the swampy area near the entrance to the park.
The walk focuses attention on the loss of lives by the British and American forces as well as the peace following the war that has lasted 200 years.
Culbertson said the design focused on the themes of loss, confidence and peace, inciting solemn reflection on the individuals involved in the fight.
The design is centered around a raised walkway with minimal environmental intrusion through the wooded area and bronze markers placed throughout, each representing the different British units that fought in the battle.
The walk will feature a bridge with 2,000 buttons embedded in the railing, representing the loss of British lives. The bridge will lead to the Alliance Garden, symbolizing the friendship and peace between the United States and Britain following the battle.
Design Workshop also proposed that the site’s meadow be replanted with Little Bluestem, a plant that was likely found in the area during the time of the battle. The plant’s color changes throughout the year, but in winter, its red color would represent the fallen British soldiers strewn across the field during the battle.
Former United States Rep. Henson Moore chairs the Battle of New Orleans Bicentennial Commission and approached the University’s School of Art and Design to create a logo for the commission. Because of its success, he asked the Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture to assist with the memorial.
Lake Douglas, associate dean of research and development for the School of Landscape Architecture, came up with the idea for a limited competition to take place in which firms would present their ideas for a memorial in front of a jury. Douglas sent out letters to 10 firms across the country with University ties inviting them to send in their qualifications to be presented.
In addition to Design Workshop, Jeffrey Carbo Landscape Architects from Alexandria was also selected to present its concept to the seven member jury of University professors, alumni and representatives from the Lieutenant Governor’s office.
Douglas said the jury faced a tough decision and had a lively discussion about who the winner should be, but ultimately sided with Design Workshop’s proposal confined to a single area of the battlefield over Carbo’s, which aimed to incorporate the whole battlefield.
The jury favored Design Workshop’s concept, which was more evocative of the British soldiers involved in the battle with the bronze buttons and markers, Douglas said.
Douglas said the next step is for Design Workshop to meet with the Battle for New Orleans Bicentennial Commission to have the design ratified.
After the ratification, Moore will begin the process of raising funds to pay for the project because there will be no state or federal funds used to finance it, Douglas said.
He said the project should be completed by January 2015 to celebrate the bicentennial of the battle.

Gallery • 5 Photos

Grace Steinhauser

Representatives from Carbo and Associates talk about their design for a Battle of New Orleans Monument Friday, Sept. 27, 2013 at the LSU Design Building.