In the heart of Corona, Queens, the Louis Armstrong Center stands as a representation of the enduring legacy of legendary jazz musician Louis Armstrong. Purchasing a home on 107^th Street with his wife Lucille in 1943, Armstrong found solace in a neighbourhood that allowed them to own real estate as an African-American couple in a segregated United States. Today, the Louis Armstrong Center, an expansion of the Louis Armstrong House Museum (LAHM), stands in a vibrant urban zone dedicated to preserving and promoting Armstrong's cultural, historical, and humanitarian contributions.

After Louis Armstrong's passing in 1971, Lucille diligently worked to transform their beloved home into the Louis Armstrong House Museum. Opening its doors to the public in 2003, the museum offers an intimate look into Armstrong's life. The recent addition of the Louis Armstrong Center by Long Island City-based Caples Jefferson Architects furthers this celebration of Armstrong's legacy to new heights.

Caples Jefferson Architects faced the challenge of expanding the museum's capacity while maintaining the modest scale of the surrounding neighbourhood. Their design for the Center achieves this delicate balance by seamlessly integrating the buildings into the urban fabric while standing out as a symbol of Armstrong's impact. The design is a deliberate reflection of the paradoxical nature of Armstrong's life and work—simultaneously fitting in and standing out.

The Center's most striking feature is its facade design, a visually dynamic element that captures the essence of Armstrong's music. The facade uses its faceted flat glass and metal fins to create an optical illusion of curvature and pays homage to the rough jazz and love of lyricism that defined Armstrong's achievements. The brass-toned wave-like curtain wall, incorporating woven brass mesh, mirrors Armstrong's primary instrument, the trumpet, becoming a visual celebration of his iconic contributions.

Upon entering the Louis Armstrong Center, visitors are greeted by a lobby adorned with golden tubes, echoing rhythms from Armstrong's hit songs. The exhibition area, 'Here to Stay' is curated by Jason Moran, and immerses visitors in Armstrong's life through circular frames and interactive displays. The Jazz Room, a deep-red and mahogany space with a tilted roof, reflects the ambience of the nightclubs where Armstrong honed his sound.

This 75-seat room is the focal point for live performances, lectures, films, and community events, channelling the energy and joy of Armstrong's music. The second floor of the Center houses the vast archival collection on the life and works of Armstrong. It includes recordings, manuscripts, and personal artefacts.

In addition to the celebration of Armstrong’s genius, the design also tries to be kind to its surroundings. It prioritises sustainability by incorporating green roofing and ecologically sensitive materials, aiming for a LEED-Silver rating.

Sara Caples, Principal Designer at Caples Jefferson explains the many features that make the Center sustainable. "The new Louis Armstrong Center is a community asset and a tribute to the life and music of Satchmo, and it is also a highly sustainable building. The building features two types of green roofs: the roof above the Jazz Room that tilts in view of the conservators' lab is a continuously flowering intensive green roof that also provides a visual amenity to the museum and the surrounding neighbouring buildings and the upper roof is an extensive green roof that is developed with drought-resistant plant materials visible from the sky only. Among its other green features is the curtainwall on the front façade, which is made of a custom brass mesh that is placed inside the outer void in the triple-glazed curtainwall. The brass mesh helps to reduce the heat gain from the sun and maintain a cool environment inside. The remaining facades are rainscreen-configured stucco clad. Skylights along the north and south party walls have additional UV-reducing films. The higher-reducing colour on the south-facing strip is an apricot colour that visually amplifies that warm colouration of the southern light, whereas the northern-facing balanced light has a bluer cast.”

The Louis Armstrong Center transcends traditional museum design, offering a space for education, entertainment, and research. This extension of the Louis Armstrong House Museum not only expands its capacity but also ensures that Armstrong's cultural impact resonates with contemporary audiences.

In the Louis Armstrong Center, with the combination of thoughtfully designed spaces and an inspired façade, every design element is a deliberate inclusion. The Center is a true reflection of the artist it pays homage to, inside and out. It invites visitors to engage with the living legacy of a musical genius, ensuring that the timeless world of Louis Armstrong continues to captivate and inspire generations to come.

Project Details

Name: The Louis Armstrong Center
Location: Queens, NY, USA
Year of completion: 2023
Design Firm: Caples Jefferson Architects