The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, designed by Trahan Architects, is defined by its flowing, sculptural interior; it’s an immersive building where walls and ceilings merge into a single continuous form. Behind this seamless expression lies a highly coordinated structural system that translates complex digital geometry into buildable architecture. CRAFT Engineering Studio partnered with David Kufferman PE, Method Design, and CASE to realize this vision, engineering a hidden support system that allows the concrete surfaces to feel weightless and fluid.
At the core of the design is a series of dry-cast concrete panels, each uniquely shaped and precisely fabricated to align with the museum’s organic surfaces. Rather than relying on continuous framing, each panel was supported at its corners by a concealed steel framework. This approach minimized the visual presence of structure, while providing the precision needed to maintain the flowing geometry. The challenge was not only in defining how the panels were supported individually, but also in ensuring that the entire system behaved as one, settling into its final form under the weight of the concrete and the loads it would carry over time.
In our structural models, the geometry was broken down into panelized components, each analyzed for both strength and alignment. The secondary steel framework was designed to provide exact connection points, with tolerances tight enough to meet the architectural ambition of a seamless surface. The digital modeling process became a critical tool, allowing us to simulate panel placement, structural behavior, and long-term performance. These models served as both engineering verification and as coordination tools with fabricators and installers on site.
The result of this effort is an interior where structure disappears into form. The concrete panels are continuous across walls and ceilings, curving to frame circulation paths and allow natural light from above. Visitors experience the architecture as a cave-like environment, unaware of the precise steel skeleton that holds each surface in place. The absence of visible structure allows the museum’s materiality and light to take center stage, creating an environment both monumental and intimate.
Ultimately, the project stands as an example of how advanced engineering can amplify architectural ambition. By integrating analysis, modeling, and fabrication coordination, the structural design allowed a challenging vision to become a built reality. The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame is a space where engineering precision meets sculptural fluidity; a museum that feels carved from stone, but in fact is the product of rigorous collaboration and structural invention.
PROJECT TEAM
Architect: Trahan Architects, Method Design, Fabricator: Advanced Cast Stone, Structural Engineering: David Kufferman PE, CRAFT Engineering Studio
