Degree
Doctor of Design (DDes)
Department
College of Art and Design
Document Type
Dissertation
Abstract
This thesis explores the complex issue of preserving the cultural heritage of Roman Catholic churches in the twenty-first century, with a focus on the transformation of Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in the Marigny Neighborhood of New Orleans. The church, closed in 2001, has since been reimagined as the Hôtel Peter & Paul and The Elysian Bar. This study investigates the challenges and opportunities in the deconsecration and reutilization of sacred spaces, considering their role in the community, architectural preservation, and the broader identity of New Orleans.
This study will begin with the conceptual framework, exploring strategies for cultural preservation of New Orleans churches. Followed by a review of the literature on Catholic material culture focusing on the secular and sacred with a spatial concentration. Next, follows the methodology, the theoretical framework, this includes the historical analysis, which is the tracing of life, death, and rebirth. Then follows a brief history of the Roman Catholic Church architecture and the New Orleans Archdiocese, in modern times, including definitions of preservation objectives in the context of sacred space. Next, a results discussion follows that examines the evolution through preservation. This involves ethnographic insights that investigates the emotional allure after deconsecration. A large section of the thesis will be dedicated to the discussion of the case study of the Hôtel Peter & Paul. The concluding part of the discussion is on architectural space transformation that investigates evolving experiences over time. Ultimately the analysis and observations section reflects on what persists and transforms during the preservation process. The culmination of this study is a truncated speculative handbook, which outlines the crafting of a preservation guide.
Date
9-30-2025
Recommended Citation
Hains, Nedra D., "PRESERVATION AND TRANSFORMATION: REUTILIZING DECONSECRATED CHURCHES IN NEW ORLEANS - A CASE STUDY OF STS. PETER & PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH" (2025). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 6909.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/6909
Committee Chair
J. Michael Desmond