INNOVATIVE BUILDING
Chuck Rutledge
WHO: Chuck Rutledge, developer; Jonathan Tate, architect (Office of Jonathan Tate); Pierre Stouse, contractor (Edifice Builders LLC) – All are co-developers.
WHAT: We are a loose association of project partners (and friends) who join forces formally on a project-by-project basis when we find interesting infill opportunities. We usually work in New Orleans; recently in Clarksdale, Mississippi, in the Mississippi Delta.
WHERE: Jonathan’s office is at 1336 Magazine St., Pierre’s office is at 900 Peniston St., and Chuck works out of his car traveling between New Orleans and Clarksdale, Mississippi, where we developed a 20-room hotel called Travelers Hotel.
WHEN: The three of us have been working together on various projects since 2005.
HOW: Chuck often finds the site and initiates the concept. Jonathan agrees and then designs what he wants. Pierre agrees with Jonathan and then builds what he wants. And somehow it works.
WHY: We like to find oddball or undersized or atypical situations that provide unique opportunities to respond with creative development, design and construction solutions.
IN YOUR WORDS: We like contributing good design (hopefully, really good) to our built environment and elevating or, at least, contributing significantly to our cityscape. We like to think that we find a nice balance among our three disciplines and on occasion, even harmony.
