Creating Places: A Citizen Observer's Look at Nashville's Built Environment


Writer's Note: William Williams' interest in the manmade environment dates to 1970, at which point the then-young Williams started a collection of postcards of city skylines. The collection now numbers 1,000-plus cards. Among the writer's specific interests are exterior building design, city district planning, demographics, signage, mixed-use development, mass transit and green/sustainable construction and living. Williams began his Creating Places column with The City Paper in February 2005. The column in its original form was discontinued in September 2008 and reinvented via this blog in November 2008. Creating Places can be found on the home page of the website of The City Paper, at which Williams has worked in various capacities since October 2000.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

DA|AD-Designed Building Shows Promise

I'm liking the look of 12th & Paris. Not surprising, given the under-construction mixed-use building has been designed by DA|AD. Since 2000, the Nashville-based architectural company has nailed numerous local projects, including Madison Square, Morgan Park Place, Summer Street Lofts, The West Eastland and the east side building home to Sweet 16th A Bakery. 

With 12th & Paris, DA|AD has incorporated on the building's north face two tones of dark brick and a clerestory piece (a design element that defines various DA|AD buildings) clad in Hardie siding. 

The building's commercial segment, which anchors its northeast corner, has been framed and shows great promise, both in terms of scale and materials. Lastly, despite being the "least design-significant" side, the south wall of the building has been given a nice touch, with bricks above each window positioned vertically and half-bricks placed below.

Quality work.

   
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