Define “Observatory”

I grew up in Gonzales, and have a strong emotional connection to the Observatory, which for my whole life has felt like a sentinel watching over my neighborhood and home.

Designed collaboratively by architect William Henderson and meteorologist Francis Napier Denison as a home and observatory, it was built to further exploration of celestial realms.

Now, drowned in city lights, its purpose has faded. The exterior remains popular – a dramatic silhouette against the sky, a sought-after photography spot—but almost no one can step inside. Within, the original wooden dome still arches overhead, above empty rooms once designed to house an Observer, according to the original plans.

In my architectural thesis, I proposed repurposing it for an Artist in Residence program, welcoming cultural Observers to live and create within its walls. With renovation, it could become a space where artists turn their gaze inward and share those observations in exhibitions open to the public. Fitting its iconic appearance, the observatory could once again become a place of discovery— with a new, human-centered focus.