For the past four years, Just Imagine SWLA has worked to move the plan’s 11 catalytic projects from vision to reality through creative partnerships and community-driven planning. One of the most impactful examples is the “Urban Renewal Catalysts” studio at Louisiana State University, where architecture and landscape architecture students apply their skills to real-world challenges facing Southwest Louisiana.
The partnership reflects one of the core values of the Just Imagine Plan: collaboration. By engaging students directly in community-based projects, the program helps advance local ideas while giving future architects and designers hands-on experience working alongside residents, civic leaders and stakeholders.
Funded through the National Academies of Sciences Gulf Research Program, the initiative has now completed its fourth year. During that time, students have explored five major Just Imagine SWLA catalytic projects, including the Bayou Greenbelt, Strong Downtowns, Mid-City Neighborhood Transformation, Strategies to Address Underutilized Property and Community Resilience Hubs.
The studio follows a collaborative structure that immerses students in both research and community engagement. The process began in January 2026 with presentations in Baton Rouge introducing students to the Just Imagine SWLA framework, along with the challenges and opportunities facing the region. Students then spent several weeks conducting background research and developing early concepts before traveling to Southwest Louisiana in March.
The field trip gave students a chance to experience the project areas firsthand. Local stakeholders joined the discussions, helping students better understand the history, existing conditions and community priorities connected to each site. Students toured neighborhoods, reviewed infrastructure and gathered feedback on their preliminary ideas.
One highlight of the visit was a tour of the new emergency operations center in Cameron Parish, led by Porche May Architecture. The facility, which is expected to open soon, provided students with a powerful example of how resilient design can support communities preparing for future storms and disasters. The visit reinforced many of the themes students were exploring in their own projects, especially the importance of planning with long-term resilience in mind.
In April, community stakeholders traveled to LSU to participate in final project reviews. They offered direct feedback on student proposals and discussed how ideas from the studio could help inform and influence future planning efforts in Southwest Louisiana.
According to program director and faculty advisor Fabio Capra-Ribeiro, the collaboration has created meaningful learning experiences for everyone involved.
“Working alongside the Lake Charles community has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my time at LSU,” he said. “Our students learn things in this studio that no classroom alone can teach them, and I am grateful for every partner who makes that possible.”
The partnership also leaves a lasting impression on students. Jessica Peres, a second-year student from Brazil, reflected on how the experience changed her understanding of architecture.
“During this studio in Lake Charles, I learned that architecture is not only about buildings, but also about people and the environment,” she said. “Working on my project, the Amphibious Hub, helped me understand how design can respond to flooding in a different way. Instead of trying to fight the water, I learned that we can design spaces that work with it. This changed the way I see architecture and resilience.”
As Just Imagine SWLA continues moving projects forward, partnerships like this show the value of bringing communities, universities and local leaders together. By combining fresh ideas with local knowledge, the program is helping prepare the next generation of designers while building momentum for a stronger Southwest Louisiana. Take a closer look at the catalytic projects reimagining Southwest Louisiana at justimagineswla.org.
