602 Taylor Street
Smith Gee Studio
602 Taylor Street
Smith Gee Studio
Awards Category : : Small Project (25,000 sf or less)
602 Taylor Street is a nearly 19,000 square foot 2-story office building situated in the Taylor Place Development in historic Germantown Nashville. On the site of a former bag manufacturing plant, the building reflects much of the industrial context and character of the original site. Brick, metal, and glass create an elevation rooted in time.
602 Taylor Street is a modern 2-story office building located in what’s known as Taylor Place, the redevelopment of the former Tennessee Manufacturing Company campus, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Designing a new building to fit into the existing fabric of the neighborhood while complementing the adjacent rehabilitated historic brick, bow truss warehouses and other development was a challenge. The one-story street elevation on the southside of the building respects the scale and streetscape of the neighborhood, and with the materiality of brick, metal, and glass the project reflects much of the industrial character of the original manufacturing site.
The building is orientated along the east/west axis and utilizes a large canopy that wraps the entire building which accentuates multiple tenant entry points. Peeling the exterior architecture and transitioning into the interior, the overhang creates a reflective light shelf allowing light to travel deep into the space. The clear glass façade grants pedestrians a glimpse into the inner workings of the occupied office. Completed in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, several core elements responding to a post-Covid-19 world were incorporated into the design during construction, including an HVAC system equipped with ionization technology to scrub the air throughout the building. The interior design supports a world-class office with several conference rooms and open collaborative spaces, integrated technological components, a fully operable glass wall in the break room that opens out onto a balcony, and a healthy amount of natural light.
The building’s footprint enhanced circulation within and around the 14-acre site with the addition of a pedestrian stair and vehicular ramp extending 6th Ave. N. into the property. A new woonerf gives access to the other buildings located in the redevelopment and internal sidewalks and seating areas promote public interaction with the project. Refurbished print rollers and other artifacts from the historic warehouse are used as bollards and bike racks on the site.
Date of Completion: August 2020
Client: META Real Estate Partners
General Contractor: R.C. Mathews Contractor
Consultants:
Civil – Catalyst Design Group – Jack Parker, jparker@catalyst-dg.com
Structural – Genesis Engineering Group – Russell Skrabut, raskrabut@geneng.net
MEP - Genesis Engineering Group – Victoria Robertson, vrobertson@geneng.net
Landscape Architecture – HDLA – Richie Jones, rjones@hodgsondouglas.com
Photography Credits:
602 Taylor Image 1 - The nearly 19,000 SF core and shell building was designed to have the flexibility to house up to four tenants. The design evolved as a single occupant took over about 3/4 of the building. ©Matthew Carbone
602 Taylor Image 2 - Site Plan ©Smith Gee Studio
602 Taylor Image 3 - Building Plan ©Smith Gee Studio
602 Taylor Image 4 - As the client wanted the flexibility for up to four future tenants, entry points for those spaces were considered in the early designs. To accentuate these entry points a canopy wraps and connects the openings along the façade to help accentuate the main axis of circulation around the site. ©Matthew Carbone
602 Taylor Image 5 - The exterior canopy wrap carries through into the interior of the building forming a light shelf, work nooks, and other spaces throughout the inside of the building. ©Matthew Carbone (exterior) and ©Seth Parker (interior)
602 Taylor Image 6 - Analyzing the onsite warehouse materials provided the base concept for the new building. Layering brick, metal, and glazing allowed the new construction to compliment the warehouses while fitting in with the brick houses in the historic neighborhood. ©Matthew Carbone
602 Taylor Image 7 - The footprint enhanced circulation and supported the design of a woonerf giving more access to the other buildings located in the 14-acre redevelopment. ©Matthew Carbone
602 Taylor Image 8 - With the materiality of brick, metal, and glass the project reflects much of the industrial character of the original manufacturing site. ©Matthew Carbone
602 Taylor Image 9 - The interior design supports a world-class office with integrated technological components, several conference rooms and open collaborative spaces. ©Seth Parker
602 Taylor Image 10 - An open, inviting communicating stair offers convenient access between floors and encourages less dependence on the elevator. ©Seth Parker
602 Taylor Image 11 - With complete site permeability and the amenities and walkways accessible to the public, the project has been embraced by the community. Neighbors are regularly seen walking their dogs, exercising, enjoying the open spaces and relaxing on benches and sitting walls. ©Matthew Carbone