Design for Life

Founded in 1980, Holly & Smith Architects, APAC (H/S) is a full-service professional architecture corporation with offices in Hammond, New Orleans, and Lafayette, Louisiana. H/S has extensive experience serving a wide range of clients throughout southeast Louisiana and brings over 40 years of expertise in designing and administering construction contracts in the region. As architects, H/S creates the spaces and places where people live their life. How we learn, work, eat, sleep, heal, worship, and gather are all improved by the quality of that space and place.

Design for Life Behind-the-scenes Printing Production Video

Advance Praise:
It is with great pleasure that I am taking the time to reflect on the delightful experiences I had during my exposure to the book, DESIGN FOR LIFE IN THE DEEP SOUTH by two of my former architecture students at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette: Michael Holly and Jeffrey Smith

As university professors, it is, of course, a part of our fulfillment to witness the successes of our former students as they enter into their professional status. I have been delighted often by this. However, what I have just encountered during my several engagements with this book has been more astonishing than any other previous awes.

Here I must preface that lamentably the actual building of great architecture is often a rare accomplishment; there are many reasons why that is, I won’t go into any of the many causes; but, it is a fact. I bring that up just to underscore my astonishment of what their firm has achieved here in Louisiana.

As an architecture teacher for 44 years, who retired recently, I had the great fortune to teach the Freshman and Junior studios. This gave me the opportunity to participate at these two critical levels. One of my several meaningful sayings was: The Detail Tells The Tale. I bring this up since one of the many exciting accomplishments of this firm is that: the materiality has been so well orchestrated, which includes a delightful presence of details; thus, inhabiting their buildings offers not only dynamic and enchanting places but also a sophisticated assembly of materials.

Thank you, Michael and Jeffrey for allowing me to reflect and respond to your astonishing work, as it is so wonderfully documented in this book.
Hector LaSala
—Professor of Architecture and Design
University of Louisiana at Lafayette

The work of Holly & Smith Architects is notable for design solutions that give the utmost respect to the people, climate, and culture of South Louisiana. Over the course of four decades, the firm has created award-winning, sustainable designs that have made a lasting impact on the people and communities served. This monograph is an excellent resource for architects interested in designing for the climate and context of the Deep South and the great state of Louisiana.
—Kevin J. Singh, AIA
Architecture Program Chair & Professor
Louisiana Tech University

ISBN: 978-1-957183-41-1
Binding: Hardbound
Pages: 200pp
Publication Date: Fall 2023
Size: 10” x 10” Square
World Rights: Available