French Quarter Entrance Improvements Proposal & Public Communication System

 
 

Challenge:

Studio West was competing for a high-visibility civic project: reimagining key entrances to the French Quarter for the Downtown Development District.

This wasn’t just about design aesthetics. It was about:

  • Winning a competitive proposal

  • Communicating complex urban design plans

  • Gaining stakeholder and public trust

  • Translating architectural vision into clear, persuasive materials

The audience ranged from selection committees to public stakeholders — each with different concerns, priorities, and levels of technical understanding.

The work had to be both strategic and accessible.

 

Strategy:

The engagement unfolded in two distinct phases:

1. The Proposal (Winning the Work)

The initial task was to design a proposal that:

  • Clarified Studio West’s design thinking

  • Structured complex urban concepts into digestible sections

  • Elevated the firm’s credibility

  • Made the narrative easy to follow and difficult to forget

Rather than presenting dense architectural documentation, we shaped the proposal as a persuasive narrative:

  • Clear hierarchy

  • Intentional pacing

  • Strategic use of imagery

  • Thoughtful typography and layout systems

  • Visual consistency that reinforced authority

The goal wasn’t decoration — it was clarity and confidence.

Studio West won the project.

 

Strategy:

2. The Public-Facing Explanation Package

After the award, the focus shifted.

Now the materials needed to support:

  • Shareholder meetings

  • Public presentations

  • Community discussions

  • Broader stakeholder communication

The challenge changed from persuasion to transparency.

We developed an explanation package that:

  • Translated architectural language into plain, accessible communication

  • Organized technical information into visual systems

  • Balanced vision with practicality

  • Maintained design integrity while increasing clarity

The result was a cohesive collateral system the Downtown Development District could confidently use in public settings.

 

Impact:

A competitive proposal that helped secure the project

  • A structured communication system for civic stakeholders

  • Materials built for real-world presentation, not just review

  • Clear alignment between design vision and public understanding

This project demonstrates a core principle of Design On Tap:

When ideas are complex, clarity becomes the strategy.

Organization: Studio West x Downtown Development District | Project types: proposal design & narrative structuring, information hierarchy development, layout systems, stakeholder-facing collateral, visual translation of architectural documentation
This project showcases my design and strategy experience prior to founding Design On Tap. While they were not produced under the Design On Tap brand, they reflect the capabilities and approach I bring to every client.