Maximizing the Site
Hines’ development sits atop a 25,527-square-foot floor plate situated between downtown’s First and Second avenues. Getting the program to fit and operate a certain way while maximizing the available retail area was akin to a jigsaw puzzle. One of the biggest factors was how to accommodate parking. We needed to provide a certain ratio of parking to office space to remain competitive.
To achieve this, the design team stacked 10 floors with 1,100 available parking spaces on top of the allotted retail tenant space. Topping out the building massing, a 14-story glass office tower that rises above the parking floors provides 26,500 rentable square feet per floor. A subtle pattern of offset pairs of bright, white mullions animate the tower’s glass curtain-wall facade.
A Class-A Creative Design
Our client desired something slightly different from your typical Class-A space. They wanted it to be more ‘Nashville,’ and a bit more playful and lively. So we arrived at a natural stone tile in the lobby that’s slightly more subdued than some of Hines’ other lobby areas. We then added an internally illuminated feature wall that gives warmth to an otherwise crisp, white space, and provides a little more grit rather than polish.
A Pedestrian-Friendly Streetscape
One of the design’s biggest contributions to downtown Nashville was providing sidewalks around the building that are equal to or bigger than the city’s street plan. Considering its relationship to First and Second avenues and the hundreds, if not thousands, of events that will take place in the downtown area over the next 20 to 30 years, this design will create a synergy between the pedestrian experience and local activities.
A Roof with a View
The 3,653 square-foot green roof terrace is one of the defining characteristics of this development. A rooftop bar, fire pits, a variety of outdoor seating, and grassy spaces for games and activities are all features of this unique outdoor amenity. What’s really great about this terrace is that it extends the use of the building beyond a workplace into a magnet for after-work and weekend events.
Well Appointed and Amenity Rich
Beyond its variety of aesthetic forms and textures, the office tower’s amenities are what make the building a truly exceptional draw on the market. The 12th floor features a work café with Wi-Fi that is open to all tenants as an alternative work area so they don’t have to leave the building. The space provides multiple variations of seating that support small meetings, group interactions or social functions, and offers food and beverage options that include healthier choices. There’s also a large, shared conference room that is extremely flexible in how it can be arranged and used. A 2,300-square-foot, club-quality fitness center appointed with lockers and showers is available to all tenants.
A Better-Performing Building
Pre-certified LEED Silver, sustainability goals were a key driver in the office tower’s design. We set a target that 20 percent of the value of building materials would consist of recycled content and regional materials. To increase energy efficiency and occupant comfort, we used high-performance glass on the skin of the building. A key sustainability feature of the design is the green roof outdoor terrace area with its turf lawn and plantings. Using bright colors along with the white roof membrane, the heat of the sun is not absorbed and the building won’t contribute to the heat-island effect of the urban environment. Through the various sustainable design strategies we’ve incorporated into the project, the building will be 14 percent more efficient than other buildings of its type and size.
Set a Precedent
This project really has a home-grown, Nashville vibe to it. It offers a degree of efficiency to tenants that will allow them to be more flexible and to do more with their space over time. It’s something that’s incredibly unique for the market. It sets a precedent for what Class-A office space in Nashville is evolving into in terms of its amenities and how it contributes to the urban fabric.