Shell Building - New Orleans, LA
Posted by: 
JimmyEv
N 29° 57.228 W 090° 04.355
15R E 782535 N 3317271
It seems like New Orleans has gone crazy with their NRHP nominations. This building from 1952 barely slips into the 50-year-old criteria. It’s one of the few international-style buildings on the register. Actually, that’s what New Orleans claims is historical about it.
Waymark Code: WM19N0
Location: Louisiana, United States
Date Posted: 03/06/2007
Views: 18
The Shell Building was one of the first examples of international style in New Orleans, departing from traditional architecture by eschewing ornamentation and completely lacking the traditional base, shaft and crown of previously built skyscrapers. Everything about the building is minimalist, and built for a specific purpose, from the ribbon windows to the ledges and fins that are used to shade the interior from the harsh sun.
The 14-story skyscraper of reinforced concrete with a limestone sheathing was designed by August Perez and Associates. The purpose of the building was two-fold, to provide office space for Shell Oil and additional space for the adjacent Fairmont Hotel. The two buildings were connected and merge together in the rear to form a ballroom. The building is currently being converted into lofts.
