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1. The building shows impressive massing. In fact, it is horizontal enough that an additional floor would be nice so as to allow the structure to yield a more effective height-to-width ratio.
2. I like the amount of brick. The rendering suggests the building will be about 80 percent brick. I'm not certain about the other materials but I hope the base is made of stone (and not concrete).
3. On the base theme, notice how the upper floors at each of the various segments are well defined. Overall, there is nice proportionality.
4. The prominent main entrance and how it addresses a corner is a highlight. Very well done.
5. To the left and at the highest point on the side of that segment, we see an interesting traditional roof line element that, I assume, is a nod to the historic design features of the few old-school masonry buildings remaining in West End Park. Similarly, the structure does a solid job of combining traditional and contemporary elements (a fine example of the latter being the aforementioned entrance with its metal doors and metal awnings).
6. The top floors sport black metal railings framing what appear to be windows. I'm not optimistic that feature will be effective.
Overall grade: B
Looks great! It will be a big improvement for this increasingly hot in-town neighborhood. I give it a B+ at minimum, maybe even A-. Too early to tell.
ReplyDeleteWW.......How about that 14 floor apartment tower just announced in Green Hills? That's a biggie! Any info on that project?
ReplyDeleteOn its way, A-Mous 7:45AM
DeleteWW
repeat of my comment that somehow didn't post? Looks like every other one built in the last 5 years of its type. Is this all from a blueprint magazine? Boring.
ReplyDeleteA-Mous 7:45AM,
ReplyDeleteThat is baffling. I saw your original comment and now it's gone. Odd.
Agree this building is unadventurous in its exterior design. But do recall West End Park has a fairly strict urban design overlay that will limit developers and architects.
WW
WW
It's not a bad design for Nashville. The developers there tend to favor a "faux historic" look and the new apartments all pretty much look the same.
ReplyDeleteI lived there for two years and it breaks my heart to know they tore down the tall trees that cooled my apartment all summer long. Thanks to those trees, my electric bill was only $60 a month during the hottest summers and I had the air conditioning on 24/7.
I'll bet that Vandy students won't be able to afford the new rents and that the electric bills will orbit into the $150 to $200 a month range.
So glad I left before the hipsters move in. The Westmont was funky and fun and had tons of parking.