2nd Place, Multifamily
The Residences at Rivermark Centre is a transformative project in downtown Baton Rouge, La.’s growing and dynamic cultural scene. Gensler was hired to convert 14 floors of the 21-story Brutalist tower into 168 residential units.
Although the tower sat prominently in the city’s central business district, it was underperforming and a financial burden on the owner because of a consistently high vacancy rate. Gensler used its proprietary office conversion scorecard tool to reveal the tower would convert well from office space to residential units. The project scored highly in site context, building form, floorplate, building envelope and servicing.
Preserving the original Brutalist architecture enabled the project to claim historic tax credits. The team also studied construction demolition methods to alter the façade cost-effectively.
Rivermark Centre I & II Towers 
Close-up of balconies where columns were removed. 
Arrival lobby 
Leasing office 
Amenity clubhouse 
Rooftop pool overlooking the Mississippi River. 
Apartment unit 
Apartment unit 
Apartment unit 
Apartment unit 
To create balconies and beautiful views for the tenants, Gensler removed columns from the exterior. 
BEFORE: The original facade PHOTO: Maria Rucks, Gensler 
BEFORE: Lobby with street-level entrance PHOTO: Maria Rucks, Gensler 
Site plan DRAWING: Gensler 
Building diagram DRAWING: Gensler
PHOTOS: Ryan Gobuty unless otherwise noted
To create balconies and beautiful views for the tenants, Gensler removed columns from the exterior. In alignment with Coastal Conservation Association Louisiana, the team donated 224 concrete columns for transformation into fish habitat.
To optimize the conversion, a topping slab was poured over the existing concrete pan-joist slab, which created the finished apartment units’ ceilings and upgraded acoustics between floors. Vertical surfaces at the balconies’ perimeter terminate the waterproofing system and provide drainage. The topping slab was feathered at the corridors to accommodate existing stair landings and elevator stops.
The team reused cooling towers, boilers, and equipment from the upper levels to retain the apartment units’ chilled water and a fan-coil HVAC mechanical system strategy to reduce costs. Ultimately, this benefited the building’s office tenants because the systems remained functional during construction.
The existing interior ribbed concrete walls were left exposed and layered with new finishes. Indirect lighting highlights the concrete as a nod to the building’s history and inspired the integration of new design elements, including fluted paneling throughout corridors and entries. In addition to the open-concept floorplan for the one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, residents enjoy stunning views across the city.
I scored this project a 5 out of 5.
Saul Jabbawy, regional director of design, principal, EwingCole
Retrofit Team
Architect and Branding: Gensler
Owner: Wampold Companies
General Contractor: Lemoine
MEP Engineer: AST Engineers
Structural Engineer: Walter P. Moore
Lighting Consultant: Lang Lighting Design
Acoustic Consultant: SLR
Materials
Roller Window Shades: Mecho
Kitchen and Bathroom Countertops: Emser Tile
Shower Floor Tile and Kitchen Backsplash: Daltile
Bathroom Floor and Wall Tile: Thorntree
Balcony Floor Tile: Stonepeak
Paint: Sherwin-Williams
Luxury Vinyl Floor Tile and Carpet: Shaw Contract
Penthouse Wood Tile Decking: Bison Innovative Products
Elevator Lobby Floor Tile: Artaic
Wall and Door Protection: Acrovyn from Construction Specialties
Metal Mesh Guardrail: McNichols
Metal Panels: CENTRIA
Exterior Metal Ceilings: Longboard
Glazing: Viracon
