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, April 24, 2012

Creating Places: Core, DA|AD to team again

The good folks at Core Development and DA|AD are once again joining forces in preparation to deliver what should be a quality three-story apartment building on the northeastern fringe of Hillsboro Village.

This developer-designer duo has become as consistent as John Carson and Eddie McMahon and as dependable as Lee-Lifeson-The Professor. The good people at Core sincerely believe in Nashville's urban core (thus, the company name) and in infilling emerging districts like Germantown and 12South.

One thing I like about the DA|AD aesthetic is the always-tasteful brick and Hardie siding colors the architectural entity favors. In addition, the company has mastered the use of the contemporary clerestory (which will not be incorporated in this unnamed building) and the art of combining vertical and horizontal forms.

Check the story here.


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7 comments:

  1. Josh O.April 25, 2012 at 6:19 PM

    Did you perhaps mean 17th and Wedgewood, because I looked at Magnolia and Wedgewood on Google satellite and I didn't see any existing building to be torn down at the southwest corner of that intersection. Maybe I am missing something. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  2. William WilliamsApril 25, 2012 at 11:20 PM

    Josh O.,

    Technically (from what I can determine on Google Maps), it is 17th. Good catch. I consider the stretch south of Wedgewood to be Magnolia (as does the developer), thus the confusion. The building that will be razed is next to the faded-yellow-brick retirement facility.

    Thanks,

    WW

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  3. AnonymousApril 26, 2012 at 11:56 AM

    Can we not come up with something, I don't know creative? This brand of design has been so over done its become boring. This is a hip area so let's design something beige!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousApril 26, 2012 at 1:17 PM

    I wish that this group would come to the East side and build a quality apartment building. I have so many friends that would love to move to the Inglewood/East Nashville area, but the units available for rent are SLIM, and the housing prices are too high. Any word in the pipeline about a possible project upcoming?

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  5. William WilliamsApril 26, 2012 at 11:07 PM

    A-Mous II,

    Agree that many DA|AD projects have a similar design theme.

    A-Mous III,

    You make a strong point about the lack of quality, yet affordable, multi-unit apartment buildings on the east side. I journeyed across the river tonight to visit Pharmacy Burger (my first time and a very cool place).

    WW

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  6. AnonymousApril 27, 2012 at 12:52 PM

    Pharmacy is very cool, as is the new coffee joint Barista Parlor

    ReplyDelete
  7. William WilliamsApril 29, 2012 at 8:51 AM

    A-Mous II,

    I've heard very good things about Barista Parlor. I need to check it.

    WW

    ReplyDelete

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