Following the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, Billes Architects teamed with two other local architects to design the $125 million repair project and the additional $41 million renovation to the Louisiana Superdome.

During Hurricane Katrina the Superdome was uti-lized as an evacuation center, but soon became an international symbol of despair and chaos. Re-pairing the monumental building was arguably the u201cposter-childu201d project for New Orleans recovery, with Phase I culminating on schedule with the nation-ally televised New Orleans Saints season-opening game on September 25, 2006. With performances by international stars Green Day and U2, the game became a statement of the Cityu2019s recovery efforts. In order to meet the ambitious schedule, the proj-ect was fast-tracked with 12 separate construction packages, and using a Construction Manager at Risk methodology. The project also included extensive damage assessments, handicapped acces-sibility assessments, design and coordination with numerous oversight agencies including the State of Louisiana, FEMA, insurance underwriters, and consultants across the United States. The results of the success of the project can be seen today, and subsequent phases continue with the replacement of the exterior skin of the building. Billes Architects also provided interior design services for the Club Lounges.