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.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Creating Places: Ryman Lofts


Ryman Lofts has me excited. Note the various shapes, material and colors. With a contemporary design, RL should offer nice massing and height. I also like the balance of windows. Smith Gee Studio designed RLofts and deserves credit for a job well done. Infill Rolling Mill Hill with multiple buildings of this type and that district will hum with vibrancy.
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7 comments:

  1. PhillipOctober 9, 2011 at 3:02 PM

    In an unrelated not is it just me or did it seem short-sighted to build Nance Place along Hermitage Ave.? It's kind of chintzy looking and doesn't contain any street level retail. It seems that the ideal place for retail and commercial space would be along a major arterial leading in and out of the area and residential only buildings should be saved for the interior of the development. MDHA strikes again!

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  2. William WilliamsOctober 10, 2011 at 12:07 AM

    Phillip,

    Good point. Clearly, Nance was done on a modest budget. Most DA|AD-designed buildings are stellar. In contrast, the exterior of NPlace is modest (though the units are a great bargain for the price) compared to, say, 12th & Paris or Madison Square. This was simply a budget consideration.

    WW

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  3. AnonymousOctober 10, 2011 at 1:10 PM

    I have never been a fan of the design of Nance Place. It should have been named VALUE ENGINEERED PLACE. The use of varied brick tones looks very chintzy and will most likely be dated within a few years. I would have liked to see other creative "budget conscious" devices used to breakup the walls.

    It is a shame it does not have retail, but at least it fronts the street. With the Fire Headquarters across the street, it forms a nice corridor.

    As for Ryman Lofts, I do like the rendering. Playing with the mullion patterns is very clever. Something Nance Place could have learned a few steps from. My only complaint is why do you have to be an "artist" to live there? There are plenty of other "struggling" professions that do not have their own work/live space. Just sayin....

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  4. William WilliamsOctober 10, 2011 at 4:45 PM

    A-Mous,

    Agreed on Nance Place. Of note, anybody of any profession will be allowed to live at Ryman Lofts. But there will be a maximum income component.

    WW

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  5. don skeltonOctober 12, 2011 at 12:13 PM

    According to an article in the Tennessean, residents must be working artists, even if they are "waiting tables on the side." (quote from MDHA spokesman)

    http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111011/NEWS01/310110026/Ryman-Lofts-affordability-draws-musicians-artists?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

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  6. William WilliamsOctober 13, 2011 at 11:49 PM

    DSkelton,

    Ah. I did not realize. Good to know.

    WW

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  7. AnonymousNovember 16, 2011 at 9:48 AM

    @Anonymous...creating a creative and artistically supportive environment seems to be what this is mostly about...being able to afford it for those artists is an added bonus. I'm assuming painters could use a place that allows for the smells of paint and natural light from the specially designed windows...musicians could use a place to practice without worries of disturbing others...most of these types of units in the DC area also have community rooms where artists can work together on projects, so it's almost more of a work space w/place to sleep/live.

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