Richard Koch

Richard Koch (1889 – 1971) (pronounced Coke) was an architect who specialized in architectural conservation and the restoration of historically significant buildings. He emphasized buildings in New Orleans, Louisiana. Koch worked with the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) during the Great Depression. He was an early leader of the Vieux Carré Commission.

Koch was also an architectural photographer with many of his works archived by the Library of Congress. His photography highlighted the antebellum period in Louisiana. He was a founding partner of Koch & Wilson, a firm that specializes in architectural preservation. His father was an architect and a builder in New Orleans and had immigrated to the city from Stuttgart, Germany. He enrolled at Tulane University, graduating in 1910, being the first graduate of the Tulane School of Architecture. He subsequently studied for a yea (Some sources say that Koch attended Atelier Bernier for two years.)

Career Early professional career On completion of his military service, Koch worked as an architectural apprentice for a brief time in the northeastern United States before returning to New Orleans. He then joined the architectural firm of Charles Armstrong, eventually becoming a partner in the firm. Through Koch's influence, the firm of Armstrong & Koch focused on restorations and designs of traditional Louisiana buildings and structure. The firm was dissolved in 1934.

Koch traveled in Spain in the early 1920s, an experience that enhanced is interest and skills in architectural photography. His photographic subjects in Spain included the Generalife in Granada and the Alcázar of Seville. During this time, Koch also made architectural drawings of historically significant structures in Spain.

Koch's efforts on photographic documentation of historic buildings continued until 1965, long after his term with HABS had ended. Koch's photographic style was to depict the buildings as they appeared, regardless if they were in disrepair. He often avoided harsh sunlight on the subjects, and often included people or automobiles in the photographs in order to provide size perspective. Koch conducted architectural restoration projects in Natchez, Mississippi, the New Orleans French Quarter, the New Orleans Garden District, St. Francisville, Louisiana, and elsewhere in Louisiana. Koch's restoration projects in New Orleans as a member of the firm included The Cabildo, the Merieult House, and Gallier Hall.

Koch redesigned Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre in a style consistent with historic character of the neighborhood. With landscape architect William Weidorn and sculptor Enrique Álvarez, Koch designed the New Orleans Botanical Garden. In 1941 Koch also collaborated with Weidorn on a restoration of the St. Anthony's Garden in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Koch and Wilson restored the New Orleans home of philanthropist Matilda Geddings Gray in 1969, a home that Koch had himself once previously restored in 1937. The home is sometimes known as the Gauche-Stream House.

Vieux Carré Commission The New Orleans French Quarter is sometimes known by the term Vieux Carré, from the French language. By the early 20th century, much of the historic heritage of the area was being lost as buildings in the French Quarter were being demolished to make room for more modern structures. In 1920, interested civic leaders and other citizens organized for the sake of preservation of the neighborhood. Initially known as the Vieux Carré Restoration Society, Koch became president of the organization in 1930.

Early in Koch's tenure as president of the Vieux Carré Commission, he recognized that the organization had little authority. Koch convinced local officials that the commission needed authority to issue permits for structural changes in the historically significant French Quarter and to levy fines on violators. Because of legal considerations, an amendment to the Louisiana state constitution was required to institute these changes, which ultimately took place in 1936.

Other service Koch served on the board of directors of the American Institute of Architects. He was a member of the National Architectural Accrediting Board and served as the organization's president in 1954. Koch was on the board of directors for New Orleans City Park and also the Isaac Delgado Museum of Art.

Death Koch died unexpectedly on September 20, 1971, at the home of his two sisters in Covington, Louisiana. He is interred at Metairie Lakelawn Cemetery in New Orleans in a family tomb.

Koch collection

A large portion of Koch's collection of photographs was bequeathed to Tulane University, being transferred in 1972. The collection resides in the Special Collections Division of the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library and numbers approximately 5000 items from Koch's collection.