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First, I'm hearing criticisms ranging from "drab" to "generic" to "lacking color" to "blockish." And while I can understand how folks might feel this way, I have a very different take.
I actually find this to be a fairly attractive building. The color scheme of white, silver and medium gray gives the building a sleek and slightly industrial look, which is well suited for the Gulch. Even the blue signage is a tasteful hue. Were there some black, I would be very pleased. In short, I like buildings with "cool" colors, as those shades lend a structure a certain permanence. Interestingly, the Fairfield ever so slightly mimics the Hutton Hotel (I suppose, in part, because of the color scheme).
As to the aforementioned signage (three areas sport signs), it is nicely proportionate in relation to the overall mass of the building.
Here's a nice touch for a basic hotel (and not necessarily commonly done effectively): the building has a well defined base, mid-section and cap. Very nicely executed.
Lastly, the back right side and the front portion in the darker gray extend from the main walls to provide some variation in shape (and lessen the harshness of what otherwise would have been a flat-faced facade and side).
On a somewhat negative note — and props to my good friend Brett Withers, who pointed this out on Urban Planet Nashville — the entrance is not as visible as would be ideal.
Overall, a solid offering. I grade a C-plus to a B-minus.
Very strange that you call it a "solid offering" yet you rate it a C+ to B-. I think it looks like a 1980s-era nursing home. The signage is just plain ugly. I hope the rendering is wrong.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteAMous,
DeleteI define solid as average. But perhaps a grade of C to C-plus would better fit with my use of "solid offering." Good point.
WW
It looks like a banal box in the rendering. Like a motel you might see in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, not in the Gulch. Very disappointing.
ReplyDeleteWill the new 23Hundred at Berry Hill apartments be wood frame or concrete? I noticed that the new 2300 Elliston Place apartments appear to be being built with concrete, which I like. Also I do realize there is no relation between the two buildings even though they both have the 2300 address lol.
ReplyDeleteI really like the landscaping and the rendering of the car is very well done but this building is horrible. It really screams "old person waiting to die nursing home" design.
ReplyDeleteWilliam can you talk to HG Hill about the rendering they put out for their new two story building in Hillsboro Village? It is way too contemporary and modern. They need to build something more traditional and with brick.
ReplyDeleteJO,
DeleteMZA does highly contemporary design. They simply would not go the trad route. Now, I would like to have seen a neo-art deco building with charcoal brick, some cool metal touches and a more traditional shape.
WW
Critics,
ReplyDeleteSurely you weren't thinking Vision Hospitality was going to spend big money on the type cutting-edge exterior design we all would have preferred. That rarely happens with hotel design (unless it's Vegas or NYC). Now, if Vision were known for hotels with eye-catching designs and they delivered this ... that would have been very disappointing. I was simply (and realistically) hoping for something with a clean color palette (no creams), some metal elements and decent definition. This building delivers those. Compare it to, say, the Hampton Inn at West End and 20th avenues and it's actually fairly attractive. Also, remember this is a rendering. It could look better (or worse) once finished.
WW
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One more thing. Vision will pursue LEED certification for this building. Let's give some credit where due.
ReplyDeleteWW
The problem with LEED certification is that it expires after 2 years for a new building and I have yet to find anybody that has actually gone through the process of LEED re-certification.
DeleteGood point. I did not know this.
DeleteThe HG Hill plans for Hillsboro Village looks great! I like the contemporary vibe of it. HG Hill always does top quality projects and this one will certainly be top tier, especially given the location.
ReplyDeleteAgree the building is boring. But so are the Fairfield Inn hotels. Most if not all Fairfields are not built to win any design awards. This is actually one of the better Fairfield Inn designs I've seen. Its not any worse than the Omni which is also highly disappointing.
ReplyDeleteStill hoping for a W hotel in Nashville. Seems we're due.
AMous,
DeleteAgree. Omni exterior is painfully bland. But the interior should be stellar. Relatively speaking, the Fairfield exterior might be better than the Omni exterior.
WW
William, are you kidding?! The Omni looks just fine and its in quite well against the skyline -- especially at a distance. Omni is 100% better than this ugly little structure. The Omni is so much larger in size and scale. I also like it because it marks a rectangular end point to the curves of the Music City Center.
DeleteJill Downs
Jill,
DeleteI did write "relative speaking." Obviously, comparatively speaking, the Omni exterior design will be vastly better than that of the Fairfield Inn. I simply meant to write, and failed to do so effectively, that the Omni exterior design likely underperforms for the design budget the architects had. Conversely, if the design budget for the architects of the Fairfield was as modest as we might think, then its architects did a solid job.
On the Omni theme, I do really like the exterior design as seen when you look at the building from the east at, say, Second Avenue at KVB. And great point with this: it marks a rectangular end point to the curves of the Music City Center.
Well said.
WW
William,
ReplyDeleteIt sure is good to have the adult bookstore gone. From the rendering, I can't tell - is the hotel entrance going to be facing Division Street?
Linus Hall
Yazoo Brewing
Linus,
ReplyDeleteYes. It will, indeed face Division. You'll have some built-in customers courtesy of the Fairfield. By the way, I'm a big fan of the Yazoo Gerst. A good move to start brewing that Nashville icon..
Keep up the fine work.
WW
Yawn.....I'll be glad when someone come up with something new for these larger developments. It's the same cookie-cutter modern we've been seeing for many years in Nashville and years before in larger cities.
ReplyDeleteAMous,
ReplyDeletePoint well made. I'm ready for some classy neo-art deco building. The A.A. Burch Building is a strong example.
WW