These days New Orleanians describe their lives using the terms "pre-Katrina" and "post-Katrina."
The devastating hurricane and its aftermath are still felt nearly eight years later. But since post-Katrina New Orleans has shed its storm-sacked facades, a canvas of design opportunity has taken root.
There's a new buzz in the city, and signs of real recovery are showing in repopulated neighborhoods where rebuilt and renovated homes in both traditional and contemporary styles are springing up.
And the energy has certainly spread outside the city's borders. The city had the second-highest number of visitors in its history in 2012. The record before that was in 2004, the year before Katrina hit.
The resilient city has endured many hardships over its past 300 years, but that's what gives it a uniqueness revered around the world.
As the celebrated birthplace of jazz and dozens of culinary specialties — gumbo and the po' boy, to name two — what has emerged is an extreme mix of ethnicities nestled between the largest saltwater lake and the largest river system in North America. If you plan to visit New Orleans — pronounced "new OR-luhns," not "new or-LEENS" or "new or-le-ANS" or "NAW-lins"— the following design-minded destinations will help peel back the storied layers of its history.
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See Jackson Square, a historic central area in the French Quarter, from a mule-drawn carriage.
Location: Along the Mississippi River on Decatur Street
Noteworthy: Across the street, the historic Cafe Du Monde isopen 24 hours and sells powdered beignets, a deep-fried pastry that's ubiquitous in New Orleans.
Over the centuries this historic central square in the French Quarter neighborhood once held public executions of criminals; it now hosts regular art sales and live music events. The Saint Louis Cathedral across from Jackson Square is worth a visit. The design of Jackson Square mimics the Parisian Place de Vosges.
A mule-drawn carriage, like the one seen here, can take you on a guided tour of the area. The carriages line up along the Decatur Street side. Or pop into the French Quarter Visitor Center and join a ranger-lead tour along the riverfront beginning at 9:30 a.m.
More info: Jackson Square,Cafe Du Monde, Saint Louis Cathedral, French Quarter Visitor Center
Tour the National WWII Museum that was designed by Voorsanger Architects.
Location: 945 Magazine St.
Cost: Adults, $22; seniors, $19; grades K through 12 and those with a military ID, $13
Devote a few hours to the National World War II Museum, on the edge of downtown's Warehouse District. Voorsanger Architects of New York designed this new addition — The Freedom Pavilion; it's an impressive contemporary complex with a 4-D theater, restored pieces, interactive exhibits and historical World War II–era machines.
More info: National World War II Museum
The Freedom Pavilion is a 100-foot-high space with multiple mezzanine levels. Fully restored Boeing airplanes with engines and mannequin pilots hang from above.
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