A Thing of Beauty: Shushan Airport's Administration Building

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The art deco administration building epitomized a fine combination of form and function. Not simply a place for travelers to wait for their flights, the airport allowed white New Orleanians to relax and entertain themselves. Observation decks and loggias (porches) on the other side of the building encouraged people to watch the planes land while enjoying a meal in the climate controlled building. Locals could also view Xavier Gonzalez's artwork that graced the second floor or attend parties on the roof or in the banquet hall. The Orleans Levee Board believed that the luxuriously-appointed building showed the taxpayers that the $4 million had gone to good use, and it promoted the airport's image as an international transportation hub.

To learn about the Works Progress Administration’s improvements of the airport, walk across the driveway and through the lawn to the left until you reach the empty fountain.