Micro Unit Housing Downtown Nashville

MICRO UNIT HOUSING DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE

Thomas K. Davis

NASHVILLE URBAN DESIGN PROGRAM SUMMER 2013

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Architecture and Design at the Nashville Civic Design Center

Nashville Urban Design Program Summer 2013 Micro-Unit Housing Projects for Downtown Nashville

CREDITS FACULTY

Thomas K. Davis

Associate Professor, University of Tennessee

DESIGN REVIEW CRITICS PRELIMINARY DESIGN REVIEWERS Clay Adkisson Gary Gaston David Koellein Joni Priest Fleming Smith IV Ron Yearwood

Designer, DAAD Architects Design Director, NCDC Department Head, O’More College of Art and Design Urban Designer, Metro Planning Department Designer, Smith Gee Studio Urban Designer, NCDC

PENULTIMATE DESIGN REVIEWERS Scott Chambers Keith Covington Hunter Gee Adam Nicholson Brad Northcut Stephanie McCullough Eric McGinnis

Principal, Germantown Partners LLC Principal, Third Coast Design Studio Principal, Smith Gee Studio Designer, Tuck Hinton Architects Designer, DAAD Architects Communications Director, NCDC Designer, EOA Architects

FINAL DESIGN REVIEWERS Tamara Dickson Gina Emmanuel Gary Gaston Michael Hayes Don Klein Betsy Mason Seab Tuck Tom Turner Philip Walker

Vice President, Nashville Downtown Partnership Principal, Centric Architecture Design Director, NCDC President and COO, C. B. Ragland Company CEO, Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Designer, Smith Gee Studio Principal, Tuck Hinton Architects President and CEO, Nashville Downtown Partnership Principal, The Walker Collaborative

STUDENTS

Kaloyan Getev and Sean Miller Breanna Carlton and Holly Harris Hannah Daniel and Melissa Dooley Jeremy Beasley and Bailey Comer Gerry Hogsed and Jamie Schlenker

INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS

Team 1: Riverfront South Team 2: City Hall Plaza Garage Team 3: City Hall Plaza Team 4: First Avenue Team 5: The Landport

Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Nashville Civic Design Center (NCDC) Nashville Downtown Partnership The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Architecture and Design

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

1.0

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING RESEARCH

2.0

Nashville Urban Design Program Summer 2013 Micro-Unit Housing Design Problem Statement

USA TODAY “The Next Big Thing” by Wendy Koch Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Micro-Unit Housing Typology

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING PRECEDENTS Precedents Precedents: Further Reading

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING PROJECTS FOR DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE Team 1: Riverfront South Team 2: City Hall Plaza Garage Team 3: City Hall Plaza Team 4: First Avenue Team 5: The Landport

1.1 1.2

2.1 2.2 2.3

3.0

3.1 3.2

4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5

SUMMARY

5.0

BIBLIOGRAPHY

6.0

Riverfront South

City Hall Plaza Garage City Hall Plaza

First Avenue The Landport

INTRODUCTION 1.0

NASHVILLE URBAN DESIGN PROGRAM SUMMER 2013 at the Nashville Civic Design Center

Thomas K. Davis, Associate Professor and Nashville Summer Program Director PROGRAM OVERVIEW During Summer 2013, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Architecture and Design once again offered an urban design program based at the Nashville Civic Design Center (www.civicdesigncenter.org), to the synergy and mutual benefit of the College and the Center. This is an extension of the two entities’ 12-year long partnership. A two course sequence comprising Summer Session One and Two—an urban design studio and a directed research course—was taught over a 12-week period from May 31 – July 3 and from July 5 - August 9.

Each session constituted six credit hours. Students from the College were encouraged to enroll in both sessions for a total of twelve credit hours, but students could elect to take either course alone.

The Nashville Urban Design Program utilizes Metropolitan Nashville and Middle Tennessee as a laboratory to visit and experience issues and opportunities confronting the region, including examples of its most interesting historic and contemporary architecture and public spaces. The program is targeted to undergraduate architecture students entering their fourth or fifth year.

THE NASHVILLE CIVIC DESIGN CENTER The Urban Design Program is located at the Nashville Civic Design Center (NCDC) in the heart of historic Downtown Nashville; the studio observed and participated in the Center’s ongoing public activities as a “think tank” and an educational environment. The faculty member teaching the summer program, Thomas K. Davis, served as the NCDC Design Director from 2004-2008. From contacts made during that experience, Davis drew on a broad range of distinguished public officials, architects, planners, and developers from Nashville and Middle Tennessee during pin-up design reviews and workshops.

Founded in 2000, the Nashville Civic Design Center is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to elevate the quality of Nashville’s built environment and to promote public participation in creating a more beautiful and functional city for all. To this end, the NCDC promotes the Ten Principles and related goals of The Plan of Nashville, a vision for growth and development, created and endorsed by Nashville citizens. The NCDC also provides an intensive learning environment for interns from its partners the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Vanderbilt University, as well as other national and international programs.

PROGRAM CURRICULUM Summer Session One was comprised of students enrolled in ARCH 483: Urban Design Vertical Studio. This course addresses urban design projects responding to specific Greater Nashville conditions, with exploration of urban issues in understanding and making the city’s architecture. Student investigations analyze cultural, physical and environmental influences on architectural form, space and structure. Summer Session Two was ARCH 465: Directed Research. With a faculty member’s sponsorship, each student works on a specific topic or project related to that faculty member’s area of expertise, research, scholarship, or creative activity.

OVERNIGHT FIELD TRIP One of the highlights of the Urban Design Program is an overnight field trip to Columbus, Indiana, long considered a North American Mecca of modern architecture and landscape architecture.

INTRODUCTION

NASHVILLE URBAN DESIGN PROGRAM SUMMER 2013

1.1

NASHVILLE URBAN DESIGN PROGRAM SUMMER 2013 at the Nashville Civic Design Center

DESIGN PROBLEM STATEMENT OVERVIEW Various North American cities have recently been encouraging the construction of an emerging urban housing type: the micro-unit apartment building. Boston, New York, Denver, San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver have all had micro-housing initiatives in the past two years, often promoted by civic leadership, perhaps most notably

by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Micro-unit housing, obviously, isn’t for everyone, but it does meet a growing part of the urban housing market.

The motivation for promoting this dwelling type in downtown urban cores is that it potentially doubles a building’s density relative to more conventional sized downtown housing units, and can generate more affordable housing by condensing the unit size. With most downtowns having relatively high land cost, by reducing unit size, both construction and development costs are reduced per unit.

This category of housing meets the “real simple” lifestyle of many Generation Y entry-level professionals, who have yet to accumulate many possessions and desire to live in the city for its entertainment potential, proximity to the workplace, and potential disposable income resulting from a lack of car dependence, or even ownership.

This can also be affordable workforce housing for all ages. “Empty-nester Boomers,” or seniors, are another potential growth market for this housing type.

This summer we explored the potential of micro-unit housing as an emerging urban architecture in Downtown Nashville, and focused on an array of Downtown sites, with Downtown defined as the area south of Jefferson Street and within the inner loop of interstate highways.

SITE Each of the five student teams in the Urban Design Studio had a different site, chosen by each team from a list of potential sites. The intent was to demonstrate possibilities and create a catalog of opportunities for micro-unit housing and high-density / mixed-use development in a variety of Downtown Nashville contexts. The candidate sites were not the most obvious, easily addressable sites one could imagine for micro-unit housing. Rather, the sites were selected because they are challenging or in some sense “edgy,” both literally and figuratively. The design of public spaces, streets and squares defined by the building or urban block addressed, was a primary concern of this problem as urban design.

INTRODUCTION

NASHVILLE URBAN DESIGN PROGRAM SUMMER 2013

1.2

NASHVILLE URBAN DESIGN PROGRAM SUMMER 2013 at the Nashville Civic Design Center

PROGRAM Each student team determined their precise program in accordance with the potentiality and imperatives of their respective site. The general program consisted of 350 – 400 s.f. micro-unit housing, comprising at least 75% of the building’s total units. Other units could be proposed, at will, to diversify the tenant mix and the building’s external appearance.

To counterbalance the units’ small sizes, the program emphasized designing appropriate shared social and recreational amenity spaces, as well as common circulation spaces throughout the building. The ground level, and potentially upper levels of the building or block, could be commercial tenants carefully specified by the designer as locally owned enterprises. The building or block was to be named as an exercise in branding.

SITES SELECTED BY STUDENTS Team 1: Riverview South Team 2: City Hall Plaza Garage Team 3: City Hall Plaza (Union Street between First and Second Avenues) Team 4: First Avenue (on parking lots across from the former Thermal Plant site) Team 5: The Landport (at the intersection of The Landport and the Demonbreun Bridge) WORK PRODUCTS In addition to preliminary and final design review events with distinguished members of Nashville’s design and development community, this publication served as the basis for an exhibit at the Nashville Civic Design Center.

In addition, projects were submitted to the Integrated Communities: A Society for All Ages International Student Design Competition. This competition invites “architecture students around the world to apply their creative talents in developing situations, which integrate older persons into the fabric of the community and fully include them in all social, cultural, and productive activities.” (www.international-iccc.org) SCHEDULE Thursday, May 30

INTRODUCTION

First day of class Introductions, syllabus and design problem discussion Nashville Downtown Partnership van tour of various sites with Tamara Dickson

Thursday, June 2

Urban Design Forum: “A Picnic and Talk at the East Bank Playground”

May 31 - June 4

Walking tours of downtown / team and site selection

Thursday, June 6

Depart for Columbus, Indiana Field Trip Video at Columbus Visitors Center Walking tour of Downtown Columbus

Friday, June 7

Van tour of Columbus architecture Tour of the Miller House

Thursday, June 13

Preliminary Design Review

Thursday, June 20

Penultimate Design Review

Friday, June 21

Tour of Music City Center and Tuck Hinton tour with Curtis Lesh

Tuesday, July 2

Final Design Review with reception following

Wednesday, July 3

Last day of class

NASHVILLE URBAN DESIGN PROGRAM SUMMER 2013

1.2

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING RESEARCH 2.0

USA TODAY “THE NEXT BIG THING”

“MINI-APARTMENTS ARE THE NEXT BIG THING IN U.S. CITIES” Wendy Koch USA TODAY July 31, 2013

Could you live in a single-car garage?

That’s about the size of tiny apartments popping up in major U.S. cities where many residents live alone. Inhabitants say the key is keeping only stuff you use.

NEW YORK — When Gil Blattner hired a housekeeper for his elegant apartment with 12-foot ceilings, tall windows and marble fireplace mantle, the woman looked at the living room and asked, “Where’s the rest of it?”

There was no more. She’d seen all 250 square feet of his cocoon, located on a tony, tree-lined street in Chelsea near restaurants, art galleries and bookstores. His monthly rent: $2,500.

“It’s all that I need,” says Blattner, 29, who moved in last year. “I feel very happy when I’m in this space,” he says. “The name of the game is being selective about what you hold onto. It has helped me stay away from being a hoarder.”

Though tiny has long been typical in Manhattan, mini-apartments are popping up in more U.S. cities where land is finite, downtowns have regained cachet and rents have risen. In a digital age when library-sized book collections can be kept on a hand-held device, more Americans see downsizing as not only feasible but also economical and eco-friendly.

How small? Many anti-McMansions—also known as “aPodments,” “micro-lofts,” “metro suites” or “sleeping rooms”—are about 300 square feet, which is slightly larger than a single-car garage and one-eighth the size of the average new U.S. single-family home (also shrinking in recent years).

City officials often welcome this mini-sizing, which is common in Tokyo and many European capitals, as a smartgrowth, lower-priced solution to a housing phenom: people living alone. Nationwide, the share of households occupied by a single person reached 27% in 2010, up from 8% in 1940 and 18% in 1970. The number exceeds 40% in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Denver, Pittsburgh, Seattle, St. Louis and Washington, according to Census data.

In Seattle, which has led the nation with hundreds of dorm-like “sleeping rooms” as minuscule as 150 square feet, a backlash has taken hold. Boardinghouse-style buildings have replaced single-family homes in residential neighborhoods, prompting complaints by neighbors about parking problems, transiency and fire-safety hazards.

Officials have responded by drafting building rules they’ll publish this summer.

“It’s an accelerating trend in the industry, especially where space is at a premium,” says Ryan Severino, senior economist at New York-based research firm Reis. “You’re seeing an urban renaissance,” he says, adding Millennials (typically younger than 30) are drawn to cities where they can both work and socialize.

They’ll sacrifice space for “quality” location, says Doug Bibby, chief executive of the National Multi-Housing Council, a trade group, noting apartments overall are getting smaller. He says young city dwellers manage with less room by renting rather than buying stuff. “They rent everything,” he says—Zipcars, even wedding dresses.

Mini-sizing “is not a fad,” says John Infranca, assistant law professor at Suffolk University in Boston who has studied projects in New York, Washington, Denver, Austin and Seattle. He expects demand for tiny apartments will continue as more people, young and old, live alone. Yet he says building codes—often requiring larger units—were set decades ago when households were bigger and they have not kept pace with “radical” demographic shifts.

OTHER CITY EFFORTS Boston, Chicago and other U.S. cities are experimenting with change: • In the Big Apple, billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg—who once lived in a studio for nearly a decade—launched a micro-housing pilot project of 55 units that range from 250 to 370 square feet. The city usually requires apartments be at least 400 square feet.

SOURCES

New York City Mayor’s Office; nARCHITECTS; Census Bureau; State of New York Department of Corrections; research by George Petras, USA TODAY; Frank Pompa, USA TODAY (http://www.usatoday.com)

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

•

San Francisco, where new studio apartments rent for at least $2,400 monthly, recently approved a trial run of 375 micro-units as small as 220 square feet. In September, Berkeley-based developer Patrick Kennedy plans to begin building 120 units, each about 270 square feet, with rents starting at $1,800.

•

In Austin, where rents are soaring as the population booms, the city’s first affordable downtown housing project in more than 45 years breaks ground this week. It will be a complex of 135 studios, each 400 square feet. “We have Texas-sized micro-housing,” says Walter Moreau of Foundation Committees, a non-profit group shepherding the project.

USA TODAY “THE NEXT BIG THING”

2.1

USA TODAY “THE NEXT BIG THING”

Developers say they can’t build micro-housing fast enough. “We don’t do any advertising, and we’re 100% occupied all the time,” says Jim Potter, manager of Seattle-based Footprint Investments. He’s finished six buildings, each with 40 to 60 units, in Seattle and is developing similar projects this year in Portland, Oregon, Oakland and Jersey City.

“It’s really about price point,” he says, noting his Seattle units with a bed and bathroom but no private kitchen rent for $600 to $900 monthly (including utilities and Wi-Fi) while regular, larger studios start at $1,200.

“There’s a substantial waiting list,” says Evan Granoff, who has redeveloped the historic 1828 Arcade building in Providence to include 48 micro-lofts as small as 225 square feet. He says the units, which will open this summer, are modeled after efficient boat interiors and include built-ins such as a futon that converts into a table for four.

“It doesn’t feel cramped at all,” he says.

In Manhattan, where many itsy-bitsy apartments were either built before the current size requirements or illegally subdivided, residents speak with a bit of bravado about their space-saving savvy.

Smartspace Developer Patrick Kennedy, owner of Berkeley-based Panoramic Interests, finished a prefabricated building this year in San Francisco that has 23 microunits, each about 290 square feet. The units have full kitchens, washer/dryers and window seats with a hydraulic pop-up table. (Photo: Panoramic Interests)

“We don’t necessarily look at them as mini-apartments, but as standard, live-in-New York apartments,” says real estate agent Jason Saft.

“I lived in about 250 square feet for five years. You really learn how to make it work,” he says, recalling how he once held a dinner party for 10 and even cooked all the food in his tiny kitchen.

Changing the ceiling height or flooring materials in different areas can make a studio feel larger, says Donald Albrecht, curator of the Museum of the City of New York. The museum’s “Making Room” exhibit features a full-size, 325 square-foot studio with tricked-out furniture such as an ottoman containing four nesting chairs, a fold-out dining table tucked under the kitchen counter and a TV that slides away to reveal a bar beneath.

“What’s important about New York is what’s outside your door,” says architect Eric Bunge, who shared a 350-square-foot unit with his wife for five years. He says they spent a lot of time in their East Village neighborhood and, when friends came over, moved seats around to accommodate them.

Bunge, co-partner at the Brooklyn-based nArchitects firm, won Mayor Bloomberg’s adAPT NYC design competition for the city’s micro-housing experiment, which is directed at low- and middle-income residents. His units have built-in storage, 10-foot ceilings and 8-foot windows that open onto a Juliet balcony.

“The whole building is your home,” says Mimi Hoang, Bunge’s co-partner, citing communal areas such as dens, rooftop terrace, fitness room and bike storage. She says the project, which will be built as prefabricated modules, aims to break ground before Bloomberg leaves office in January 2014.

Severino, who has a 3,300-square foot house in New Jersey, says he and his wife had a “good experience” living in a 450-square-foot Manhattan apartment for three years when they were younger. Yet he adds, “It was nice to move back to the suburbs. I have to admit, I like my space.”

‘NOT FOR EVERYONE’ Though environmentalists say density can reduce pollution per person, some Seattle residents oppose microhousing as “density on steroids.” They say the lilliputian units cause crowding in already congested neighborhoods and the month-to-month leases don’t encourage people to put down roots.

Also, opponents say developers circumvent a design review process that entails community input. No such review is needed for projects with a limited number of units, and Seattle allows each unit to house up to eight unrelated people if it has a communal kitchen and living quarters for each.

“It’s a severe bending of the rules,” says retired resident Bill Bradburd, adding one residential lot can house 64 residents without any parking spaces.

Potter, the Seattle, Washington developer, says his micro-product provides an affordable option without government subsidy. “It’s not for everyone,” he says. “This is intended for people who are busy and want a place to sleep and take a shower.”

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

USA TODAY “THE NEXT BIG THING”

2.1

USA TODAY “THE NEXT BIG THING”

Joe Rose, 27, a college student, loves his 190-square-foot space that—in his words—is “smaller than a hotel room” and rents for $880 a month. He shares a balcony with a neighbor, cooks in the communal kitchen and, for the first time in his adult life, gave up his car for public transit. “My father is a buy-everything-gadget guy.

I’m the opposite,” he says. “I’m very minimalist.”

Joe Rose shares a balcony with a neighbor and cooks in a communal kitchen. His apartment has a bed, television and small kitchenette. (Photo: Scott Eklund, Red Box Pictures, for USA TODAY) U.S. CITIES MAY EMBRACE NEW YORK’S TINY, LESS-PRICEY APARTMENTS Construction will start soon on an experimental New York housing complex in Manhattan with 55 “micro-sized” apartments, from 250 to 370 square feet each. The prefabricated units, which will rent for $914 to $1,873 per month, aim to help alleviate the city’s shortage of less-pricey studios and one-bedroom apartments. As more urban dwellers live alone, other U.S. cities are considering similar solutions.

Day time use: A fold-down kitchen counter adds surface while furniture, such as a sleeper sofa or retractable bed, are hidden to maximize room in the living area for other furniture.

Night time use: The sleeper sofa or retractable bed can be pulled out and the kitchen counter can be folded into the wall. Small furniture and chairs can be stacked inside the closet or moved against the wall away from the bed. Other items may be kept in the open storage area above the kitchen and bathroom.

Sizing up the 300 square foot apartment: Though far more comfortable and better equipped, these tiny apartments are slightly larger than that of a New York State maximum security prison cell.

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

USA TODAY “THE NEXT BIG THING”

2.1

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES THREATS (SWOT) ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND THREATS ANALYSIS for Future Micro-Unit Housing in Downtown Nashville STRENGTHS • Downtown offers urban experience; central location and convenience; access to nightlife; access to arts; cultural and sports events; walkability; proximity to work and public transit connections.

•

Micro-unit housing in Downtown Nashville would offer a low consumption, sustainable, urban lifestyle.

“In a digital age when library-sized book collections can be kept on a hand-held device, more Americans see downsizing as not only feasible but also economical and eco-friendly.”

-“The Next Big Thing” by Wendy Koch, USA Today

•

Micro-unit housing in Downtown Nashville would provide a more affordable housing market for many constituencies, including entry-level professionals, the work force housing market, and active seniors.

“A few brave developers have been trying to reverse a century of policies on a small scale by building neo-SROs and micro-apartments in cities. They’re responding to the strong demand, especially among millennials, for small, inexpensive units in popular, pedestrian-oriented neighborhoods.”

- “Bring Back Flophouses, Rooming Houses, and Micro-apartments” by Alan Durning, Slate

•

Micro-unit housing in Downtown Nashville appeals to multiple other real estate markets: • Weekend or alternative city apartments for suburbanites • Inter-city commuting workers • Corporate accommodations “on retainer” • Investment opportunities

•

Nashville’s building code already allows for 150 square feet minimum apartments for a single person, and 200 square feet minimum for double accommodation, assuming a kitchenette and toilet.

WEAKNESSES • Micro-unit housing is a niche market.

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

•

Micro-unit housing does not readily accommodate children.

“Micro-units are not family friendly. They are primarily for singles and couples without children. The construction of micro-units could be construed as an elevation of their needs over those of families.”

- “Are Micro-Units Helping or Hurting Our Cities?” by David Friedlander, Life Edited

•

Demonstrated success in micro-unit housing has, so far, been primarily in larger sized downtowns.

•

Micro-unit housing could potentially create “dorm-like” environments or “shoebox” units.

“In particular, Shen said, he wants to make sure that micro-apartment complexes have enough common spaces, such as lounges, to allow residents to stretch out beyond the confines of their tiny apartments.”

- “Micro-Apartments a Tight Squeeze but Livable” by Casey Ross, The Boston Globe

STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND THREATS

2.2

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

OPPORTUNITIES • The majority of households in America today are without children.

•

The percentage of households in America with single individuals living alone is increasing significantly.

•

Lower apartment rental rates increases discretionary income for young professionals and others, particularly those residents who are not car dependent.

•

Innovative design can enhance compact living spaces.

“Small houses may emphasize design over size, utilize dual purpose features and multi-functional furniture, and incorporate technological advances of space saving equipment and appliances. Vertical space optimization is also a common feature of small houses and apartments.”

- “Small House Movement”, Wikipedia

•

Shared amenity and circulation spaces are essential for a sense of community in apartment buildings.

•

Repetitive micro-units could allow pre-manufactured construction.

•

Small unit dimensions potentially allow micro-unit housing to be applied to small or marginal urban sites.

•

Micro-unit housing increases density per square foot of a given apartment building.

•

Significant population increases are forecasted for the next twenty years in the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).

“A new report from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) underscores the influence that growing demographic groups in the U.S.—in particular Generation Y, African Americans, and Latinos—will have on reshaping urban growth patterns by spurring more development of compact, mixed-use communities with reliable, convenient transit service,” - Robert Krueger in a Urban Land Institute press release - May 15, 2013

•

Downtown residential appeals almost equally to Generation Y, Generation X, and Baby Boomers in the 2013 Nashville Downtown Partnership Residential Survey.

•

Micro-unit housing encourages multi-generational living with shared-use space, and increases interdisciplinary community in vertical housing arrangements.

“Welcome to the age-friendly movement- a fast-growing, interdisciplinary approach to community development that strives to promote aging in place and make communities great places to grow up and grow old. It does this by working to make it possible for older adults to stay mobile, to volunteer— and in some cases—to continue working, to contribute to their families and neighborhoods and most importantly, to maintain a sense of purpose and belonging.”

– “Why We Need Age-Friendly Communities” by John Feather PhD., Huffington Post

THREATS • Micro-unit housing could isolate residents in small units.

“There is unease among public officials about allowing real estate developers to flood the market with such units, out of fear they will become the modern equivalent of 19th century tenements.”

- “Micro Apartments a Tight Squeeze But Livable” by Casey Ross, The Boston Globe

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

•

Downtown property costs could be insufficient to induce demand for micro-unit housing.

•

Development cost savings per square foot could be overestimated.

•

Unwarranted negative association, by some in upscale condominium neighborhoods, of micro-unit housing with Single-Room Occupancy hotels, dormitories, or hostels.

STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND THREATS

2.2

MICRO-UNITS AS A HOUSING TYPOLOGY

SIZE The size of micro-units allows for affordability, no wasted space, increased density per square foot of building and community interaction.

URBAN SETTING The urban setting of micro-unit housing allows for residents to be integrated into a livable urban grid. The city provides entertainment, services, access to food and recreation, and amenities for residents.

USER GROUPS

REASONS TO RENT MICRO-UNITS

Young Professionals

Affordability, convenience to work, entertainment, restaurants and nightlife

Students

Affordability, convenience to school, entertainment, restaurants and nightlife

Business Travelers

Comfortable, personal resting place, workspace, convenience, amenities

Weekend Visitors

Comfortable, personal resting place, convenience to events, entertainment, restaurants and nightlife

Single People

Affordability, need little space, privacy without roommate, convenience of urban amenities

Couples without Children

Affordability, need little space, convenience of urban amenities, proximity of work and entertainment

“Creative Class�

Affordability, convenience to art communities and resources, entertainment, restaurants and nightlife

Older Persons and Baby Boomers

Convenience to urban amenities, health care, recreation, multi-generational community, downsizing home

AMENITIES Micro-unit housing developments typically feature spaces and services that allow residents to interact with one another as a community, avoid becoming confined to their apartment, and access amenities they might not otherwise be able to afford.

AMENITY TYPES

EXAMPLES OF PROVIDED AMENITIES

Food Access

Restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, bars, grocery stores, fresh produce, public grills, urban gardens

Recreation and Health

Pool, hot tub, workout facilities, fitness classes, pet walking space, music room, game room, lending library, rentable event space, screening room, community interior and exterior gathering spaces, growing plots for urban gardening

Services

Mail room, safety, maintenance, bike and recreational equipment storage, pet wash, trash chute, recycling, composting, parking

Beautification

Public gardens, views, wide sidewalks, buried power lines, trees on sidewalks, greenways, bike paths, storefront windows, public art, benches

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING TYPOLOGY

2.3

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING PRECEDENTS 3.0

PRECEDENT “My Micro NYC” nArchitects New York City’s adAPT NYC competition winner My Micro NYC by nArchitects is an affordable 55-unit building with units ranging from 250-375 square feet. It is a pre-fabricated building with each unit described as a “canvas toolbox”. Amenities include common spaces, a rooftop garden, shared lounge, and fitness room.

“The growth rate for one and two-person households greatly exceeds that of households with three or more people, and addressing that housing challenge requires us to think creatively and beyond our current regulations,” said Mayor Bloomberg.

Rendering looking east on 27th Street, during construction (for illustration only)

Rendering looking west on 27th Street

Rendering looking north from 27th Street

Rendering of a typical micro-unit

SOURCES

nArchitects http://www.narchitects.com ArchDaily http://www.archdaily.com The Architect’s Newspaper http://archpaper.com

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

The micro-unit as a canvas toolbox

PRECEDENTS

3.1

PRECEDENT “Micro-Apartment” Christian Schallert Christian Schallert’s 258 square foot home in Barcelona, designed by architect Barbara Appolloni, was inspired by spacesaving furniture aboard boats. The entire apartment can be folded into the walls and is one room, other than the small toilet compartment and exterior balcony.

When the components of the apartment are shut away into the cabinet system, the apartment is left with open space and a clean wall of light-colored wood cabinets.

The bed slides under the raised exterior balcony and doubles as a couch when pushed in, as well as seating for the fold -down table. Loose chairs can be used for dining, desk seating, or outdoors. The web address below has Christian Schallert’s informative video showing how the different apartment components function.

Entire cabinet system open

Kitchenette open to space

Bed system

Table and seating

Bed pulled out from below balcony

Bed pushed in to create seating for fold-down table

Apartment entry and cleansing area

Toilet compartment

Exterior balcony and stairs to rooftop

Exterior balcony and view from apartment

SOURCE 1 Kindesign http://www.onekindesign.com/tag/christian-schallert/

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

PRECEDENTS

3.1

PRECEDENT “SMARTSPACE SoMa�

Panoramic Interests Lowney Architecture Trachtenberg Architects Kwan Henmi Architecture Planning Inc. SMARTSPACE SoMa Central and Harriet Street apartments in San Francisco are all approximately 350 square feet.

The apartments are net-zero and prefabricated. There are apartments with one queen-sized bed and apartments with two twin-sized beds. The apartments have bike storage, but no parking provided for cars. Shared amenities will include a grand lobby, cafe/deli, rooftop deck, and city car share.

Common area

Harriet Street facade

Cafe

Rooftop deck

Apartment interior views

SOURCES Smartspace http://www.panoramic.com/smartspace Trachtenberg Architects http://trachtenbergarch.com/project/soma-smartspace

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

Apartment queen-sized

PRECEDENTS

3.1

PRECEDENT “aPodment”

Seattle’s aPodment units are, on average, 170 square foot affordable micro-apartments. The apartments are not built with public subsidies. Residents at aPodments share amenities such as communal kitchens and gathering spaces. The aPodement apartments are scattered throughout the city of Seattle. The apartments come completely furnished, and are typically used by people with limited resources, students, or business travelers. The aPodments do not fall clearly into Seattle’s land use code, causing some controversy.

aPodment apartment rendering

Emerald 10 Apodment Building

aPodment Building

aPodment furnished room

Emerald 10 apartment interior

Avenida Apodment patio

Avenida aPodment communal kitchen

SOURCES Calhoun Properties http://apodment.com Seattle.gov http://conlin.seattle.gov Citytank http://citytank.org Grist http://grist.org

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

PRECEDENTS

3.1

PRECEDENT “Maff Micro-Apartment” Queeste Architecten The Maff Micro-Apartment is a 322 square foot short-stay apartment in The Hague, Holland. The Maff Apartment is in the attic of an 1890’s historic mansion.

The apartment features built-in cabinets, shelves, appliances, seating, and a bed.

The apartment has four skylights for natural daylighting and views of the city. The apartment has simple white walls and furniture with orange accents to relate to the traditional orange-colored rooftops in the center of The Hague.

Continuous sofa encircling the table for four people and sleeping space for two people

3 5

2

4

1

1. Bed 2. Dining 3. Kitchen 4. Toilet 5. Shower

Kitchenette with small sink, built-in cooktop, storage, and counter space

SOURCES Home DSGN http://www.homedsgn.com Architizer http://www.architizer.com Inhabitat http://inhabitat.com

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

View of skylights

PRECEDENTS

Bathroom with toilet, washbasin, and walk-in shower

3.1

PRECEDENT “Making Room”

New Models for Housing for New Yorkers Museum of the City of New York LaunchPad, a demonstration project designed by Pierluigi Colombo and Amie Gross Architects, is a 325 square foot Lshaped micro-apartment furnished with innovative transformable furniture by Resource Furniture. Launchpad was designed to be in use throughout the course of the day.

Bungalow Additions In Queens Gans Studio The accessory dwell units would be built on existing detached home lots for rental, extended guest stay, or for additional family members. This idea disregards current city regulations. The unit’s structure would be flexible, and would accommodate the expanding needs of the home over time.

Combination couch and fold-down bed

Dining space

Living space

Kitchen

Full-size tub in bathroom

SOURCES The Architect’s Newspaper http://archpaper.com/news/articles.

Architizer http://www.architizer.com Resource Furniture http://blog.resourcefurniture.com Gans Studio http://www.gans-studio.net

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

Accessory dwell units for extended stay or rentals behind bungalows

PRECEDENTS

3.1

PRECEDENT: “The Blair [Residence]s” Chris Marciano This micro-housing project was created by a recent graduate of Northeastern University, Chris Marciano, along with class teammates Mark Munroe and Ryan Matthew. The Blair Lot is located in Boston, Massachusetts next to Dudley Square.

The apartments are aimed toward young, recently graduated professionals. The idea is to couple the apartments so they share an interior and exterior “dirty” program space. This shared program includes a re-configurable social space for dining or entertaining. The idea of shared space is similar to having a roommate, but yet still more separated than the typical roommate situation. This gives young professionals the ability to have more space than they could probably normally afford.

Apartment exterior

Typical unit plan

SOURCES The Atlantic Cities http://www.theatlanticcities.com Chris Marciano http://www.chrismarciano.com

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

Diagram of shared vs. private space

PRECEDENTS

Shared dining space

3.1

PRECEDENT “Micro-Loft” Bruce Carscadden Micro-Loft is an apartment designed by Bruce Carscadden in Vancouver, Canada.

The apartment building is a renovation of an old hotel with five floors of affordable housing that ranges between 226 and 291 square feet. Micro-Loft is one of few nonsubsidized housing options in the neighborhood. The apartment is furnished with a fold-down bed, compact appliances, a flat screen TV, a sofa, several chairs and a coffee table. The ground floor has a mixed-use storefront program.

Before and after of building

Mixed-use on ground floor

Dining and “relax” mode

“Relax” mode

Bed that can be folded into the wall

Bed folded in allows for dining to fold out

Kitchenette space

Bathroom detail

SOURCE Tiny House Talk http://tinyhousetalk.com The Globe and Mail http://www.theglobeandmail.com

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

Diagram of space use throughout the day

PRECEDENTS

3.1

PRECEDENT “The Arcade Micro-Lofts” Northeast Collaborative Architects Micro-Lofts were an adaptive re-use project in Providence, Rhode Island by architect J. Michael Abbot of Northeast Collaborative Architects. The apartments were built in a former shopping mall as a reaction to the recession and the need for smaller, less expensive apartments.

The recession left big-box stores, larger homes, and shopping malls unoccupied.

The Arcade Mall was the nation’s first enclosed shopping mall, built in 1828, it is a National Historic Landmark.

The Arcade is a columned Greek Revival structure. There are 48 apartments that range between 225 and 875 square feet, although most are micro-units at predominately 330 to 340 square feet. The apartments do not include stoves, only microwaves, allowing for ‘rooming-house’ zoning status for smaller room dimensions. The Arcade’s two upper floors were converted to apartments, while the lower level consists of small start-up businesses, design-based retail, and dining. The basement houses free bike storage rather than cars. The Arcade provides amenities and convenience for the residents with walkability, transportation access, nearby shops and services.

Arcade exterior

Arcade interior

Living space view of Micro-Loft

Bedroom view of Micro-Loft

SOURCE The Atlantic Cities http://www.theatlanticcities.com Better Cities http://bettercities.net

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

Floor plan of Micro-Loft

PRECEDENTS

3.1

PRECEDENT “ekoHUAS” WDC Properties EkoHAUS apartments are an affordable option for urban single occupancy in Portland. The apartments are located in some of the most desirable urban neighborhoods in Portland. The ekoHAUS apartments were the first apartments in Portland, other than student housing, to have buildings that provided solely studio apartments. Although ekoHAUS apartments are not necessarily “affordable,” they can be compared to the “less-pricey” aPodments in Seattle. With many different apartments there are a variety of options of locations and apartment plans.

Glee ekoHAUS apartment

Freedom Center ekoHAUS apartment

Sherm ekoHAUS apartment

SOURCE ekoHAUS Apartments http://www.ekohauspdx.com

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

Spruce ekoHAUS apartment

PRECEDENTS

3.1

PRECEDENT “Micro Unit Model” ADD Inc Boston architecturefirm ADD Inc created this micro-unit model as a solution to the need for affordable urban housing in Boston. Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino created an “Innovation District” along the waterfront and invited five architects to speak to developers about ideas for innovative housing. A full-scale mock-up of the unit was created for the 2012 ArchitectureBoston Expo. The project emphasized smaller units, shared common spaces, replacing cars with bikes, and initiatives for developers to experiment. The study suggests that common spaces and shared amenities be located in various places around the building to increase interaction between residents.

Sippi ekoHAUS 355 s.f. studio apartment plan

Sippi ekoHAUS 355 s.f. studio apartment plan

SOURCE

AIA http://www.aia.org

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

Sippi ekoHAUS 355 s.f. studio apartment plan

PRECEDENTS

3.1

PRECEDENTS Further Reading

EXPLAINING THE CONCEPT OF MICRO-UNIT HOUSING “Housing-Starved Cities Seek Relief in Micro-Apartments”

http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2013/03/25/micro-apartments-tight-squeeze-but-livable/vDRdMnChgdhCdFOrmupnyN/story.html

“The Future of Housing Demand is Compact, Urban, and Transit-friendly” http://urbanland.uli.org/Articles/2013/May/RiggsHousingDemand

“Will Compact Development Define America’s Next Era of Land Use?” http://www.planetizen.com/node/63133

“Architects Optimize Every Nook and Cranny When Designing Micro Houses”

http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/Architects+optimize+every+nook+cranny+when+designing+micro+houses/8329527/ story.html

“NYC Planners Turning Toward Tiny, ‘Micro-Unit’ Dwellings (Bonus: 1-Square-Meter House)” http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2012/07/11/nyc-planners-turning-toward-micro-unit-dwellings-bonus-1-square-meterhouse/

“Small House Movement”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_house_movement

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING EXPLORATIONS AND EXAMPLES “New Adventures in Micro-Living on View in NYC”

http://www.architizer.com/en_us/blog/dyn/73305/micro-apartments-making-room/#.UeVm4I0p-T4

“Micro Housing Ideas Competition 2013 Winners Announced”

http://www.archdaily.com/379550/micro-housing-ideas-competition-2013-winners-announced/

“A 420-Square-Foot Studio With Eight Rooms”

http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/a_studio_with_8_distinct_spaces/6535

“Micro Apartments a Tight Squeeze but Livable”

http://www.boston.com/realestate/news/2013/03/25/micro-apartments-tight-squeeze-but-livable/zld5piK7F1doQTEFDyD6IL/story.html

“Is DC Ready for 275-Square Foot Housing?” http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/is_dcs_housing_market_ready_for_microunits/6104

CONTROVERSY “Seed urban neighborhoods with micro-apartments”

http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2013/04/22/seed-urban-neighborhoods-with-micro-apartments/PiHTQgfeveAiY2rYIK0ZcN/story.html

“Micro-Apartments Stir Not-so-Micro Controversy in Seattle”

http://www.lifeedited.com/micro-apartments-stir-not-so-micro-controversy-in-seattle/

“Ever Lived in a Place This Tiny? Micro-Apartments Face Backlash”

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/01/seattle-micro-apartments/2127029/

“Are Micro-Units Helping or Hurting Our Cities?”

http://www.lifeedited.com/are-micro-units-helping-or-hurting-our-cities/

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

PRECEDENTS: FURTHER READING

3.2

PRECEDENTS Further Reading

OPPORTUNITIES “Is Generation Y a ‘Game Changer’ for Housing?”

http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2013/05/15/is-generation-y-a-game-changer-for-housing/

“Why We Need Age-Friendly Communities”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-feather-phd/why-we-need-agefriendly-c_b_3141398.html

PREFABRICATION “Prefab Lives!”

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/23/prefab-lives/

“There’s More Than History at Stake for NYC’s First Pre-Fab High-Rise” http://www.theatlanticcities.com/housing/2012/12/theres-more-history-stake-worlds-first-pre-fab-high-rise/4193/

LOW RISE / HIGH DENSITY “Goodbye, Micro-Apartments: ‘Low Rise High Density’ Presents An Alternative Housing Solution” http://www.architizer.com/en_us/blog/dyn/84536/low-rise-high-density-exhibition/#.UeVmoI0p-T4

“Is There a Future for Low-Rise High-Density Housing?” http://www.planetizen.com/node/62086

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING

PRECEDENTS: FURTHER READING

3.2

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING PROJECTS 4.0 FOR DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE

RIVERFRONT SOUTH “RIVERVIEW APARTMENTS”

STUDENTS Kaloyan Getev Memphis, TN Sean Miller Chattanooga, TN

CONCEPT The project aims to activate the Cumberland riverfront, while reaching out toward the city. It provides access to the proposed Hargreaves’ “Riverwalk” and ties into the greenway connection from the Bicentennial Mall to Downtown Nashville.

View of site looking north toward railroad bridge

View of site looking south toward railroad bridge

MASTER PLAN SUMMARY The Riverview Apartments are rental micro-units located along the Music City Bikeway, facing the Cumberland River. They provide affordable housing for young professionals who are entering the downtown market, without compromising the ability of local pedestrian traffic to access and maximize their experience along the newly proposed Riverfront design. The site is currently a blank slate composed of several surface parking lots along the Cumberland River, adjacent to the Riverfront Apartments, and a railroad bridge. The site’s assets include its proximity to the Music City Bikeway, and therefore ease of access to the Bicentennial Mall, the scenic views of the river, and the site’s adjacency to numerous downtown amenities. The proposed design incorporates an ADA accessible ramp to Hargreaves’ proposed “Riverwalk,” as well as a tower with a spiral staircase leading down to the waters’ edge. The design connects the pedestrian to the city and waterfront by raising the building on pilotis, allowing pedestrians to view and move to and from the riverfront without disturbing building inhabitants.

The micro-units are 360 square foot and 410 square foot units with many comforts of a larger apartment. Both unit types have ample balconies, traditional bathrooms, and kitchenettes. The 360 square foot unit has an open layout with a module in the middle of the room for storage and separation of space. Floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies connect the units to the riverview and outdoors. The 410 square foot unit has one large balcony with a “NanaWall” of glass that can open the living space and extend it toward the river. The bedroom has a walk-in closet and is separated from the living room and kitchenette. Both units have ample, beautiful views of the river and plenty of space for a single person or couple.

PROGRAM SUMMARY Total Gross Square Feet: 33,142 s.f.

Total Net Square Feet: 29,220 s.f.

Net/Gross Ratio: 90% 72 Total Units: 27,870 net s.f. of leasable space 33 Units (each 360 net s.f.)

39 Units (each 410 net s.f.)

View of southernmost portion of site

SHARED AMENITIES Coffee Shop: 1,350 net s.f.

Roof Deck: 17,355 net s.f.

Parking: 68 spaces 12,648 net s.f.

Existing Riverfront Condos

PROJECTS

RIVERFRONT SOUTH

4.1

SITE ANALYSIS Dining 1. Stock Yard 2. Dunkin Donuts 3. Quizno’s 4. Meritage Grille 5. The Plaza Cafe 6. Jersey Mike’s Subs Amenities 1. Red Rover Pet Services 2. Capitol Tower Market 3. Bert’s Shoe Conditioning and Repair 4. Regions Bank 5. Time in Shop

1

4

3

1

6 5 2 1

Arts and Entertainment 1. Nashville Municipal Auditorium 2. Nashville Arts Commission 3. State Capitol 4. O Gallery 5. Picture This on 5th Shopping 1. Light Bulb Depot 2. Gardens of Babylon 3. JD Country Milk 4. Mc Kinney’s Pottery 5. Swafford Farms 6. Barnes Produce

2

1 3 1

2

2 1

3 5 5

3 Night Life 1. Swanks Martini and Night Life 2. The District Bar and Kitchen 3. Sports Page Restaurant and Bar 4. Ms. Kelli’s Karaoke Club 5. Bourbon St Blues and Boogie Bar Churches 1. St. Mary’s Catholic Church 2. Downtown Presbyterian Church 3. McKendree United Methodist Church

4

3 4

4

2

6

5 5 3

2

4

Nearby amenities and 2000’ comfortable walking distance radius

Proposed Light Rail

Hargreaves’ Proposed “Riverwalk”

1st Avenue Gay Street Railroad Music City Greenway Jo Johnston Avenue

Connectors to surrounding areas

PROJECTS

RIVERFRONT SOUTH

4.1

PRECEDENTS “Nashville Riverfront Master Plan” Hargreaves Associates “The project creates a 150 acre island by carving a new recreational waterway...

Development within the island is concentrated along a major new north/south boulevard which links fragmented portions of East Nashville. This development also defines a new active rivers’ edge with a multi-level Riverwalk framed by commercial, marina, and residential development.” www.hargreaves.com

Proposed Waterfront Master Plan

“Riverfront Apartments” Tuck Hinton Architects The Riverfront Apartments were an adaptive reuse of an existing shed, under which apartments were built. They are adjacent to the site of the proposed Riverview Apartments, and were influential as a precedent of dynamic connection to the river, and the treatment of adjacent pedestrian routes.

Unlike the Riverfront Apartments, the Riverview Apartments do not turn their back to the pedestrian because the area has changed since 1987, and now a connection for pedestrians to the riverfront is vital.

However, the treatment of the riverside facade is dynamic and activating, like that of Riverfront’s riverside facade.

“Gallaratese Housing in Milan” Aldo Rossi

Proposed Waterfront Master Plan

Riverfront Apartments - View from across river

Aldo Rossi designed the Gallaratese Complex to be a self-contained village.

The Riverview Apartments were inspired

by Rossi’s use of axial orientation and repetitive elements.

Gallaratese Housing in Milan

PROJECTS

Riverfront Apartments

RIVERFRONT SOUTH

4.1

FLOOR PLANS

Roof plan

C

Typical floor plan

Ground level plan 0

PROJECTS

RIVERFRONT SOUTH

35

70

140

4.1

ELEVATIONS AND SECTIONS

Section C looking toward CSX Railroad Bridge 0

15

30

60

First Avenue west elevation 0

20

40

80

0

20

40

80

Cumberland River east elevation

PROJECTS

RIVERFRONT SOUTH

4.1

RIVERVIEW APARTMENTS PERSPECTIVES

View of building from pier

Gay Street river overlook

“Riverwalk”

PROJECTS

RIVERFRONT SOUTH

4.1

MICRO-UNIT 360 S.F.

The 360 square foot Micro-Unit is the ultimate space for a single person or couple wanting to live Downtown and spend their income on entertainment. The unit features a standard bathroom for comfort, a kitchenette with a fold-down table, a living room with views of the water and access to a balcony on the river, and a bedroom with views of the river and a balcony as well. The storage unit in the middle of the room functions as a space divider while still leaving the unit fairly open, and features a pantry on one side and storage on the other.

A

360 s.f. Micro-Unit

Section A through 360 s.f. unit

360 s.f. unit axonometric - bedroom and living space

360 s.f. unit axonometric - bathroom and kitchen

MICRO-UNIT 410 S.F. The 410 square foot unit offers a different arrangement than the 360 s.f. unit, but the same advantages, such as an open feel to the living arrangement, views of the river, and a balcony. This unit has a more separated sleeping quarter for privacy, with an ample bathroom and a walk-through closet. The kitchenette features a table that can double as a bar for cooking. The balcony is large and has a “NanaWall� of glass that can be folded back to expand the living area outside.

410 s.f. Micro-Unit

410 s.f. unit axon

Sectional perspective through 410 s.f. unit

PROJECTS

RIVERFRONT SOUTH

4.1

CITY HALL PLAZA GARAGE “CORE HOUSING�

STUDENTS Breanna Carlton Knoxville, TN Holly Harris Chattanooga, TN

CONCEPT Core Housing at 3rd and Deadrick, in the heart of Downtown Nashville, is a proposed micro-unit housing complex consisting of liner buildings and an addition to the City Hall Parking Garage.

MASTER PLAN SUMMARY The City Hall Parking Garage on 3rd and Deaderick Street, adjacent to the City Court House, overlooks the Public Square. This site allows for an addition in the 35 foot zone on both the east and west sides of the garage.

The existing garage can also structurally support two additional levels above the top floor. The existing parking garage would be kept, and micro-unit housing added into the two east and west bookends. Larger apartments are proposed for the allowed two story addition above the garage. The north and south facades would be clad with Solar Ivy panels that screen the garage from the street and are energy efficient.

The design proposal for the east and west bookends on the existing garage contains 116 micro housing units (20 ADA accessible) and one double height communal lounge on each end. The addition above the existing garage contains 20 larger units (four ADA accessible) as well as many amenities for all residents, such as a pool deck, a fitness facility, outdoor terraces, a media room, a sky lounge, and a central community garden in the core of the building. The standard micro-unit is 400 square feet and has a sleeping area, living area, balcony, kitchenette and hygiene closet. Each unit also has a stacked laundry appliance. Each unit has one wall of floorto-ceiling glass that allows for transparency and connection to the city. The doors of the 5 by 10 foot balcony slide all the way back into the sleeping area and create a living space fully exposed to the city.

The entrances to the Core Housing development exist on each corner of Deaderick Street, and the elevator lobby repeats upward at each level. A cascading stair separates the existing garage from the micro-units and allows residents to easily circulate from one floor to another, and encourages a sense of community. On the east street level of the building there is a double height commercial space, while on the Charlotte Avenue side there is an entrance to a cineplex and bookstore.

PROGRAM SUMMARY Gross Square Feet: 209,800 s.f.

Net Square Feet: 153,500 s.f.

Micro-Units: 116 Conventional Units: 20 Total Units: 136 Residential Parking Spaces: 1 per unit, 136 total Public Parking Spaces: 931 Micro-Unit Net Square Feet: 400 s.f.

Conventional Unit Net Square Feet: 1,720 s.f.

SHARED AMENITIES Pool Deck and Fitness Facility Greenhouse and Summer Garden Sky Lounge and Community Lounge Upper/Lower Terrace Storage Units and Bike Racks

PROJECTS

CITY HALL PLAZA GARAGE

4.2

SITE ANALYSIS

Aerial view of Downtown Nashville

View from housing units overlooking the Public Square

MASTER PLAN Five minute and ten minute walking radius from site Highlighted bus stops within walking distance

PROJECTS

CITY HALL PLAZA GARAGE

4.2

CONCEPT DIAGRAMS

Existing Parking Facility

Parking garage existing elevator cores Existing Elevator Cores H[LVWLQJ ¿UH VWDLUV Existing Fire Stairs

Proposed Addition

Proposed addition housing elevator Elevator Corescores for Residential Use KRXVLQJ ¿UH VWDLUV Fire Stairs for Residential Use

interior cascading stair Interior Cascading Stair micro units Micro-Units

market rate units Larger Units

circulation Circulation

movie theater Cineplex

bookstore Bookstore commercial Space Commercial

pool deck Pool Deck ¿WQHVV IDFLOLW\ EHORZ Fitness Facility Below resident greenhouse and Resident Greenhouse gardens and Gardens XSSHU ORZHU WHUUDFH Upper/Lower Terrace, VN\ ORXQJH DQG PHGLD Sky Lounge, and URRP EHORZ Media Room Below VRODU LY\ SDQHOV Solar Ivy Panels

PROJECTS

CITY HALL PLAZA GARAGE

4.2

PLANS

ROOF PLAN Pool deck Upper terrace

13TH FLOOR Larger apartments Fitness facility Circular greenhouse Media room/sky lounge/lower terrace

PROJECTS

CITY HALL PLAZA GARAGE

4.2

PLANS

3RD - 12TH FLOORS Micro-units Cascading stair Existing parking garage

MICRO-UNIT PLANS ADA accessible unit Typical 400 s.f. unit

PROJECTS

CITY HALL PLAZA GARAGE

4.2

PLANS

DEADERICK STREET Entrance lobbies Garage entrances Commercial spaces on 3rd Avenue

CHARLOTTE AVENUE Cineplex Garage entrances Bookstore

PROJECTS

CITY HALL PLAZA GARAGE

4.2

FACADE STUDIES

VIEW OF NORTH FACADE Solar Ivy panels conceal parking garage Duplex apartments on upper two floors Bookstore and cineplex entrances on lowest level

View from Public Square, taken from the War Memorial revealing the eastern glass facade and lower terrace pergola

PROJECTS

CITY HALL PLAZA GARAGE

4.2

CORE ELABORATION

Greenhouse garden perspective

Longitudinal section, cut through the building’s core highlighting the community greenhouse

PROJECTS

CITY HALL PLAZA GARAGE

4.2

CIRCULATION AND MATERIALS

Cascading stair circulation zone with brick infilled garage wall

Interior materials for units and cascading stair

Cascading stair

PROJECTS

CITY HALL PLAZA GARAGE

4.2

MICRO-UNITS

Micro-unit perspective, roof removed

[0.1]

Examples of furnishings for micro-unit housing [0.1] Modern Couch [0.2] Cable suspended dining table that can be tucked up into the ceiling when not in use [0.3] Concealable kitchenette [0.4] Hinged bed with extra storage beneath [0.5] Modern Couch [0.6] Cable suspended dining table [0.7] Movable TV stand to allow versatility between living and sleeping zones

PROJECTS

[0.3]

[0.2]

[0.4]

[0.5]

[0.6]

CITY HALL PLAZA GARAGE

[0.7]

4.2

MICRO-UNITS

Transverse sectional perspective, cut through larger micro-unit

Longitudinal sectional perspective, cut through the 350 s.f. micro-unit which overlooks the public square

PROJECTS

CITY HALL PLAZA GARAGE

4.2

IVE

CITY HALL PLAZA “LIVE MICRO IN THE DISTRICT”

MICR0

STUDENTS Melissa Dooley Nashville, TN Hannah Daniel Nashville, TN

IN THE DISTRICT CONCEPT A mixed-use micro-unit and conventional sized unit apartment building on the corner of Union Street and Second Avenue.

View of site from the Public Square

View of site from observation towers

MASTER PLAN SUMMARY Live Micro in the District is an innovative high-rise apartment building located on Union Street and Second Avenue, across from Nashville’s Public Square. The apartment building features micro-units which, by design, are transformed from small dimensions into efficient and comfortable living space. The 400 square foot units, ideal for single people or couples, have floor-to-ceiling windows which look over the beautiful Public Square. The compact, 150 square foot units are ideal for those who spend their weekends downtown or those who commute from out of town and would like to stay in an apartment rather than a hotel, or for single people who want to spend their money on food and entertainment. Live Micro also features beautiful macro-units with floor-to-ceiling windows and plenty of space for those who want both location and luxury.

Live Micro is a mixed-use development that creates the ultimate experience for building residents—anyone from young professionals to aging baby boomers can take advantage of local amenities, entertainment, and shopping, as well as the building’s features such as gardens and courtyards, a rooftop pool, gym, cafe and micro-retail stores and offices. Live Micro is in a prime location in The District near entertainment, business, parks, and recreation, and continues the storefronts of Second Avenue and Union Street, enlivening the area and creating a balance between public and private. Live Micro’s glass and steel facade acts as a modern reflection of the century-old Beaux Arts style building across from it—the historic Stahlman Building, one of the city’s first “skyscrapers.” The two buildings frame Second Avenue, adding to the grandeur of the view from the Courthouse and Public Square.

View of site from First Avenue

PROGRAM SUMMARY Total Gross Square Feet: 84,169 s.f.

Total Net Square Feet: 58,349 s.f.

Net/Gross Ratio: 69% 120 Total Units: 40,222 net s.f. of leasable space 56 Compact Units (each 142 net s.f.)

56 Micro-Units (each 410 net s.f.)

6 Macro-Units (each 1,290 net s.f.)

2 ADA Accessible Units (each 785 net s.f.)

View of site from First Avenue

SHARED AMENITIES Roof top gardens, pool, and hot tub Rentable event/meeting spaces Screening room Workout rooms Bike/recreational equipment storage Lounge areas 12 Micro-Businesses on mezzanine floor 5 Ground floor retail spaces Ground floor cafe Parking available below grade across street City Hall Plaza

PROJECTS

CITY HALL PLAZA

4.3

SITE ANALYSIS

Bicentennial Mall Municipal Auditorium Live Micro TPAC 2nd Avenue Urban Market Riverfront Park Ryman Auditorium Cumberland Park Entertainment Parks Music, Shopping, Dining Civic The District

The District and nearby amenities

Public Square

LIVE MICRO

St

.

Ave

Site Axes - Deaderick and 2nd Avenue

10 min ute w

al k

Site viewsheds to river and city

ion

Un

2nd

Legislative Plaza

t ree

5m

inute walk

LIVE MICRO

Bikeway Greenway Bus Existing site conditions

PROJECTS

CITY HALL PLAZA

Alternative transportation - ride, bike, walk

4.3

DESIGN INITIAL MASTER PLAN IDEA The Master Plan would extend retail and restaurants from Second Avenue North toward the Public Square and from Fifth Avenue down Union Street. This would unite The District as a place of entertainment and retail and bring pedestrians to the Public Square.

T

STR

E NU AVE

EE

N NIO

2nd

E NU AVE

1st

U

Site and roof plan 0

ELEVATION FROM PUBLIC SQUARE Live Micro’s elevation toward the Public Square and Courthouse is an important facade of the building. The Public Square is an amenity, and views of the park are a valuable asset to Live Micro. The Stahlman Building, opposite Second Avenue from Live Micro, is a historic, treasured Nashville building. As apparent in the facade, Live Micro acts as a modern reflection of The Stahlman by the translation of its proportions and materials.

40

80

Existing view from the Public Square looking down Second Avenue

View Live Micro from the Public Square looking down Second Avenue

PROGRAM PARTI Live Micro’s program is translated through the facade’s composition. The public can access the building’s first two levels. The middle floors are the Micro, Macro, and Compact Units. The Micro-Units have views toward the Public Square while the Macro-Units have views either toward the river and Public Square or Second Avenue and the Public Square. The shared amenities have prime views on the building’s top two levels.

L OO

P

N/

DE

R GA M A C R O

S

NIT

OU

R MIC

C O R E

M A C R O

SS INE US T B N RO RO MIC REF O ST

Program diagram

PROJECTS

ITY

EN

AM

CITY HALL PLAZA

Rentable space and circulation of a typical unit floor plan

4.3

160

B

FLOOR PLANS 12TH FLOOR AMENITY PLAN The second resident amenity level includes a rooftop pool and hot tub with views of the Public Square, Downtown, and the Cumberland River. An additional interior workout space is available, as well as a rentable conference room for residents to host gatherings such as game nights or community organizations.

A

17) Workout Room 18) Conference Room 19) Pool and Hot Tub

Amenity floor plan - 12th floor

15

144

133 12

12) Workout Room 13) Screening Room 14) Micro-Growing Plots 15) Garden 16) Event Room

A

Amenity floor plan - 11th floor

1111 7 8

10 9

7) Micro-Units 8) Seating Area 9) Compact Units 10) Communal Patio 11) Macro-Units

A

Typical housing floor plan - 4th -10th floors B

3RD FLOOR BUSINESS PLAN The business floor has micro-business spaces and shared conference and business spaces. There is also locked bike and equipment storage for residents on the business floor.

16

B

4TH -10TH TYPICAL HOUSING PLANS The typical housing floor includes micro, compact, and macro-units. Each floor has a seating area by the stairs and elevator and a patio on the building’s alley side.

1 17

B

11TH FLOOR AMENITY PLAN The first resident amenity level includes a workout room overlooking the Public Square, screening room for movie watching, and, on the south side of the building, micro-growing plots for residents to grow vegetables, herbs or flowers. An event room with a balcony overlooking the river opens up to a terraced garden for residents’ enjoyment.

199

1188

5 6 4 A

Business floor plan - 3rd floor B

1ST FLOOR STOREFRONT PLAN The first floor has a lobby, mail room and leasing offices. The ground level is mixeduse, with micro-retail and a cafe located on the riverfront side of the building.

4) Bike Storage 5) Micro-Businesses 6) Conference Rooms

3

2 1 2 A

Storefront floor plan - 1st floor

PROJECTS

1) Apartment Lobby 2) Micro-Retail Stores 3) Cafe 0

CITY HALL PLAZA

20

40

80

4.3

ELEVATIONS AND SECTIONS

PRECEDENTS

Union Street north elevation 0 20 40

80

0 20 40

80

0 10 20

40

Reflective glass: Pinnacle material precedent

Historic Stahlman Building across 2nd Avenue

Section A - longitudinal

Stahlman Building columns across Union Street

Rooftop garden boxes precedent

Public Square observation precedent

PROJECTS

Second Avenue west elevation

CITY HALL PLAZA

0 10 20

40

Section B - lateral

4.3

LIVE MICRO BUILDING PERSPECTIVES

Micro-growing plots

Amenity - event room and garden space

Fitness room

Seating area

Amenity - rooftop pool

Bakery on ground level

Cafe and Union Storefront Process Sketch

PROJECTS

CITY HALL PLAZA

4.3

MICRO-UNIT 410 S.F.

C D

To the average person an empty 410 square foot unit looks uninhabitable. However, the Micro-Units at Live Micro in The District transform 410 square feet into easily habitable space. Through innovative design and moving parts, these small apartments become spacious.

The Micro-Units, which are 410 square feet, are ideal living spaces for couples or single people. With floor-to-ceiling views of the Public Square and an open living space, they are flooded with light and feel anything but cramped.

Day | Work

Evening | Entertain

Night | Sleep

E

0

Micro-Unit floor plan 410 s.f.

2

4

The Micro-Units feature an elevated platform under which the bed/sofa can slide to be hidden away. The elevated platform serves as a seating space or dining area, as well as an office space or, at night, a guest sleeping area.

The bed can be pulled out at night, or can be partially tucked away to become a sofa.

Twelve feet floor-to-ceiling heights allow ample storage; with built-in or modular cabinets and bookshelves, every part of the apartment can be utilized. The kitchenette features efficient appliances such as a combination oven/microwave, two burner stove, and compact refrigerator.

The unit features modern pieces such as Saarinen tulip chairs, Eames molded plywood chairs, and Herman Miller folding air-chairs. Stainless steel and light wood are the preferred palette for cabinetry and kitchen countertops.

Micro-Unit axon

Lushome.com

All of the Micro-Units have French balconies that open up the living space and allow residents fresh air and better views to the Public Square.

Micro-units are on the rise in many large American cities; they allow young professionals, empty-nesters, couples, and single people to live in the city and spend their money on entertainment, live close to city parks and amenities, and maintain community through shared amenities and gathering spaces. Well-designed space allows these small spaces to feel open, spacious and habitable.

Micro-Unit view from entry

PROJECTS

CITY HALL PLAZA

4.3

8

COMPACT UNIT 142 S.F. G H

The Compact Unit is designed for the professional who works in more than one city, and wants an apartment rather than hotel room when they stay in Nashville. It is also perfect for suburbanites who spend their weekends in the city and would like an apartment in which to stay. This unit can also be a great space for a single person who wants to spend a significant amount of their income on entertainment.

The Compact Unit is 142 square feet and has a large window that brings in plenty of natural light. The apartment features a bed that pulls down over the sofa, and storage on both walls of the unit. The unit has a European-style shower which features a compact toilet that can double as a bench for the shower when closed.

Built-in cabinets may be ideal, but other options include modular, rearrangeable shelving units. Many styles exist made by companies such as Vitsoe and Ikea and could present a more affordable and customizable alternative to custom millwork.

Vitsoe

E Joshomedesign.com

Compact Unit floor plan 142 s.f.

0

2

4

8

Compact Unit axon

Bloomberg.com

Compact Unit section G looking toward window 142 s.f.

Compact Unit section H looking toward kitchenette 142 s.f.

Compact and Micro-Unit section E

The Compact Units are located across from the Micro-Units, and have windows to the alley. The Compact, Micro, and MacroUnits on each floor share an outdoor patio space for gathering. The bathrooms in the Micro and Compact Units have clerestory windows into the hallway.

The Micro-Units are designed to have maximum storage space; they are live/ work units in which one may hide certain elements during the day so that the space can become an office. Storage also allows for a more open feeling to the space due to reduced clutter.

Micro-Unit section C looking toward window 410 s.f.

Micro-Unit section D looking toward kitchenette 410 s.f.

PROJECTS

CITY HALL PLAZA

4.3

MACRO-UNIT 1,290 S.F.

The Macro-Unit is a two bedroom, two bathroom 1,290 square foot unit with windows on three sides and a mezzanine.

J

This unit is ideal for those who would like more space, or who have kids or frequent guests. The unit features an open lower level with a spacious kitchen, dining area, and living area—all with floor-to-ceiling windows with views to the river and the Public Square.

The unit’s mezzanine features a work space with views to the river and park, two bedrooms and a bathroom.

Macro-Unit plan main level 1,290 s.f.

Macro-Unit plan mezzanine level 1,290 s.f.

The units offer diversity to the building, creating a richer community. They use the corners of the building for more high end units, and could easily be converted from apartments to condominiums if desired.

Macro-Unit section J

ADA MACRO-UNIT 785 S.F. ADA MICRO-UNIT 410 S.F. ADA COMPACT UNIT 142 S.F. Each unit has an ADA accessible option that would allow for a larger diversity of residents. The Macro-Unit has a corresponding one bedroom ADA option with no mezzanine. The Micro and Compact Units have corresponding ADA accessible options with the same dimensions but slightly varied layouts.

The ADA accessible options do not have as much storage, but are a great option for those who may have trouble with stairs, lifting, or reaching. The units would have lower counters and roll-in showers or accessible tubs. Certain functions on appliances, such as the pull down bed, could be automated to reduce lifting. More diverse options for residents would create a more vibrant building community.

PROJECTS

ADA Accessible Micro-Unit 410 s.f.

ADA Accessible one-bedroom Macro-Unit

ADA Accessible Compact Unit 142 s.f.

0

CITY HALL PLAZA

4

8

16

4.3

FIRST AVENUE “IGNITE”

STUDENTS Jeremy Beasley Chattanooga, TN Bailey Comer Lebanon, TN CONCEPT The site on First Avenue between Broadway and Molloy Street was chosen for a micro-unit housing complex that will provide a sense of urban definition to what is currently used as a “back door” to the city. The proposal will ignite life and a sense community on First Avenue, as well as activate the surrounding area.

MASTER PLAN SUMMARY Three micro-unit housing buildings, all with parking, are proposed for the site. The Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge intersects the sites between Broadway and Demonbreun; a proposed outdoor urban market under the bridge would attract people from all areas of Downtown. Local entrepreneurs could run small kiosk-like cabinet spaces lining the space, allowing them to flourish. To promote outdoor activities on Ignite’s site, there would be food trucks, an outdoor cinema, and green space. Amenities in the first two buildings include a grocery store and pharmacy, a bicycle repair shop, a book store and coffee shop, a locally owned restaurant, and a cineplex.

On every rooftop there is a green roof which serves as a garden to the residents but also a relaxing outdoor space to grill, or even swim.

Housed within the three buildings are 166 units, 150 of which are micro-units. Each micro-unit has 364 square feet of prime real estate looking out to many great views of the city. In each unit, there is a kitchenette, relaxing nook, and sleeping area. Within the micro-units, there is built-in shelving that runs along two walls, as well as storage above the “cleansing room” (bathroom). The sleeping space folds down from the shelving unit, as does the dining table. The bathroom is a unique space with three “smart glass” walls, (when the circuit is complete the transparent glass turns opaque) which allow the unit to remain continuous, spacious and daylit. Each unit has a large bay window that is angled out to provide a larger, grander view of the riverfront.

PROGRAM SUMMARY Gross Square Feet: 386,952 s.f.

Net Square Feet: 55,346 s.f.

Net/Gross Ratio: 86% Micro-Units: 150 Conventional Sized Units: 16 Total Units:166 Dedicated Parking Spaces: 166 Total Parking Spaces: 448 Parking/Unit Ratio: 2.7 Micro-Unit Net Square Feet: 364 s.f.

Conventional Sized Apartment Net Square Feet: 1150 s.f.

SHARED AMENITIES Fitness Center Game Room and Screening Room Lounge and Print Center Rooftop Garden and Pool Cineplex and Outdoor Market Grocery; Pharmacy; Restaurant; Bar; Coffee Shop; Bicycle Repair Shop

PROJECTS

FIRST AVENUE

4.4

SITE ANALYSIS

Vehicular Circulation 15 minute walk 10 minute walk 5 minute walk

Bicycle Paths

Farmers Market and Bicentennial Mall LP Stadium Municipal Auditorium TPAC

Riverfront Broadway Ryman Auditorium

Bridgestone Arena Country Music Hall of Fame

Music City Center

PROJECTS

FIRST AVENUE

4.4

PLANS

Rooftop garden

Typical residential floor with parking

Street level with retail and urban outdoor market 0’ 30’ 60’

120’

240’

PRECEDENTS

Urban grocery store (www.northshoredish.com)

PROJECTS

Restaurant (www.bizbash.com)

FIRST AVENUE

Roof garden (www.roofgardentips.com)

4.4

ELEVATIONS AND SECTIONS

Section through second building looking north

Outdoor market section 0’ 10’ 20’

40’

80’

0’ 30’ 60’

120’

240’

First Avenue facade

PRECEDENTS

Roof deck (www.goldenbee.co.uk)

PROJECTS

Media room (www.adelto.co.uk)

FIRST AVENUE

Fitness room (www.boardingarea.com)

4.4

VIEWS

Process sketch looking at the pedestrian bridge from the former Thermal Plant site across First Avenue

Urban market space under the bridge showing the outdoor cinema

The second building in between the pedestrian bridge and Demonbreun Street

PROJECTS

FIRST AVENUE

4.4

VIEWS

The sketch on the left is looking down into the market toward the middle building. The sketch on the right was a process drawing showing the outdoor market under the bridge.

Looking back toward the pedestrian bridge from the former Thermal Plant site across First Avenue

Looking from across First Avenue toward the pedestrian bridge and urban outdoor market

PROJECTS

FIRST AVENUE

4.4

MICRO-UNIT 364 S.F.

Millenials, who have graduated college and moved out of their Boomer parents’ households, are looking for affordable, commodious housing; Ignite’s micro-units fulfill these needs.

The micro-units have an open living space with a kitchenette along the wall. In the center of the room is a cleansing space encased with “smart glass,” a product that is transparent when switched off, yet opaque when the switched on. Thus, the room is private when occupied. The back wall has floor-to-ceiling shelving for storage. There is more storage space on top of the eight foot bathroom for larger items.

The sleeping space is in the corner of the unit. The bed folds up into the shelving space, allowing one to transform the sleeping area into a working space with the use of a desk that folds down from the wall. Adjacent to the sleeping area is a five foot by ten foot recessed balcony overlooking the river, allowing for one to get fresh air. The windows leading to the balcony fold back to the wall, and allow one to transform the unit into a larger space.

In each unit is a unique bay window that looks as if it is folding into the wall of the apartment. This is meant to bring in daylight and visually enlarge the apartment It also gives one the opportunity to not only look out to the river, but to look up and down the riverfront, thus giving each unit a special view.

Entry Level

The unique features incorporated into the micro-units give residents a sense of luxury that otherwise, because of rental cost, would be unattainable in a larger apartment.

0’

4’

8’

16’

MATERIALS

PROJECTS

FIRST AVENUE

4.4

CONVENTIONAL UNIT Micro-unit housing is not the only type of available dwelling. There are sixteen conventional sized units adjusted for the style of living to which most people are accustomed. Each conventional unit is approximately 1,150 square feet. The conventional units are on the southwestern side of the roof, raised five feet above the garden surface. This creates a stepped platform on which the units are placed, allowing the residents to feel a sense of privacy in their home. This also allows for the view from the apartment to be uninterrupted over the rooftop garden space.

Mezzanine, patio level

Each unit has a kitchen, living space, sleeping space, bathroom, dining area, floor-to-ceiling shelving space, and a dual entertainment space. The dual entertainment space is a mezzanine level with a sleeper sofa that can be used for seating during parties/get togethers, as well as glass pocket doors that collapse and allow the space to open up to the deck. The upper level can also be transformed to serve as an extra sleeping space for guests.

Entry level 0’

4’

8’

16’

MATERIALS

PROJECTS

FIRST AVENUE

4.4

MICRO-UNIT

Process sketch perspective drawing depicting the built in shelving leading to the sleeping area

View entering the unit - cleansing space surrounded by “smart glass�

Micro-Unit

View from the sleeping area at night.

View from sleeping area to living/entertaining space

Looking from living area to the sleeping space

PROJECTS

FIRST AVENUE

4.4

CONVENTIONAL UNIT

From under the stairs - full effect of the double height space featuring the bookcase

Looking from against the glass wall toward the kitchen and the spiral stair case next to the bedroom

PROJECTS

FIRST AVENUE

4.4

THE LANDPORT “NASHVILLE URBAN TOWERS”

STUDENTS Gerry Hogsed Savannah, GA Jamie Schlenker Sarasota, FL

CONCEPT Nashville Urban Towers is a new icon for Nashville; it is a micro-unit building with a dynamic, inviting design that will be a gateway in the city and will tie Downtown to the Gulch.

MASTER PLAN SUMMARY The towers are located in the SoBro neighborhood of Nashville, between the CSX Railroad and the Clement Landport and beside the Demonbreun viaduct. The area is primed for development, and could tie Downtown to the Gulch through the design of a micro-unit, mixed-use building. The site is in a culturally rich area of Nashville, within the Arts District and along Music City Row. The building would be highly visible to those entering and exiting the Downtown, and it is along a popular tourist bus path which connects the Country Music Museum and Hall of Fame to the Studio B Recording Studio. The Landport site is also unique because the CSX Railroad passes by it, creating an industrial feel and a background of movement.

Materials research and site history

The design features a dynamic elevation of micro-units shifting in plan and section, facing Demonbreun Street.

The concept of shifting was extended to the micro-units’ design with a loft for the bed that creates more space in the unit. The units also have a wet bathroom, stacked washer and dryer, and a full kitchen. Amenities that have been provided on-site include a fitness room, conference room, cafe, lounge, rooftop terrace and pool.

To incorporate pedestrians and activate the building, the street level includes a pedestrian courtyard lined with mini-retail spaces for shops such as a bike shop, art galleries and a small cafe directly on Demonbreun Street.

Using the railroad as material precedent, Corten steel is used as a skin. Additional materials include glass, cast-in-place concrete, and insulated metal panels, all of which have modular qualities to emulate the modular apartments within.

PROGRAM SUMMARY Gross Square Feet: 109,290 s.f.

Net Square Feet: 82,875 s.f.

Net/Gross Ratio: 76% Micro-Units: 102 units Conventional Units: 16 units Total Units: 118 units Dedicated Parking Spaces: 118 spaces Total Parking Spaces: 477 spaces Parking to Unit Ratio: 1:1 Micro-Unit Net Square Feet: 374 s.f.

Conventional Unit Net Square Feet: 529 s.f.

Apartment Building Shared Amenities: 5,500 s.f.

20 feet micro-unit grid on site

1,000 ft

2,000 ft

3,000 ft

SHARED AMENITIES Resident lounge Conference room Fitness room Rooftop terrace and pool Green roof (9,634 s.f.)

Walking diameter diagram

PROJECTS

THE LANDPORT

4.5

SITE ANALYSIS

Davidson County Courthouse State Capitol

Cumberland River

AT&T Building Nashville Public Library

Bridgestone Arena Country Music Hall of Fame Union Station Music City Center Cummins Station Landport Site

The Gulch

I 40/65

Site analysis

View from Cummins Station

PROJECTS

THE LANDPORT

Views and music districts

4.5

DESIGN FREEHAND STUDIES AND ELEVATIONS The CSX Railroad passes by The Landport, creating a precedent of movement, shearing, and industrial materials. Other elements that affect the building’s design include its adjacency to the Arts District and Music City Row.

Context diagram

Section through amenities

Section through micro-units

Floor plan

Connecting bridges

Massing of parking versus residential

Shearing towers

Visual connection toward Downtown

Flat wall visible upon approach to city

Dynamic wall visible upon approach to city

Street entry layout

Connections to Cummins Station, landport, and viaduct

MATERIAL PRECEDENT

Corten steel covers the elevation as an homage to the CSX Railroad.

EUN

NBR

O DEM CU

MM

IN

S

ST AT IO

N

Movement occurs on the site with trains passing by each other, influencing the “shearing” of the building, and pedestrian and vehicular movement up and down Demonbreun affects the apartment building’s program and dynamic elevation.

PROJECTS

Y TR

N EE

L

HIC

VE Direction of travel diagram

THE LANDPORT

4.5

FLOOR PLANS

Sculpture courtyard

Second level parking plan 0 20 40

80

Typical residential floor plan 0 20 40

PROJECTS

THE LANDPORT

80

Street / landport level floor plan

Sky level floor plan Amenities Micro-Units

0 20 40

80

0 20 40

80

4.5

DESIGN Parking for residents is located in a garage under the towers. Above are the mini-retail spaces, courtyard, and micro-units.

Section A

Section B

Panoramic of Downtown Nashville

Precedent - Josef Albers fireplace-North Haven, CT

PROJECTS

View from Union Station

THE LANDPORT

4.5

DESIGN

Nashville Urban Towers axonometric

Corten steel

Cast-in-place concrete

Glass

Insulated metal panels

PROJECTS

View from Cummins Station

THE LANDPORT

4.5

PERSPECTIVES

Nighttime perspective

Courtyard nighttime perspective

Courtyard daytime perspective

PROJECTS

THE LANDPORT

4.5

MICRO-UNIT 374 S.F.

Micro-Unit floor plan

Micro-Unit mezzanine plan

0

5

10

20

Micro-Unit section

PROJECTS

THE LANDPORT

4.5

MICRO-UNIT 374 S.F.

Micro-Unit axonometric

Micro-Unit interior views

Micro-Unit exterior view

PROJECTS

THE LANDPORT

4.5

SUMMARY By 2035, the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area, now populated by approximately 1.6 million people, is projected to grow by another 1 million individuals. This has major implications for housing, in terms of overall quantity, diversity of type, relative affordability, and proximity to enhanced public transit. Micro-unit housing (150 – 400 square feet) in other North American cities has already played a significant role in helping meet these implications elsewhere. While no micro-unit apartment buildings currently exist in Downtown Nashville, units as small as 150 square feet are now allowable within the city’s building code.

As the large cohort of aging Baby-Boomers retire, often on limited retirement incomes, and as a large base of Millenials (Generation Y) enter the workforce as young professionals, the demographics of the city will shift dramatically. Both of these groups constitute key potential market sectors for micro-unit housing in Nashville’s Downtown. In addition, young adults are remaining single longer, and waiting longer to have children. By 2025, demographic experts project that America will be split equally between single person and family households.

Micro-unit housing could enhance Downtown’s neighborhoods by encouraging walkable, mixed-use development, including residential, retail, offices, entertainment venues, and services. The concept of micro-unit housing could benefit Downtown Nashville by generating urban growth and economic development, increasing density, and enhancing community vitality. Residents would benefit from micro-unit housing because it provides diverse and relatively affordable housing in desirable infill locations. Tamara Dickson, Vice President of Economic Development for the Nashville Downtown Partnership, has said, “With strong demand for various types of downtown housing, affordability is the key to expanding options. Micro-housing offers an appealing alternative to the types of housing currently available downtown.”

For a large and growing sector of the population, Downtown Nashville is a very desirable place to live—if one can afford it. The city core and its surrounding neighborhoods are booming with seemingly limitless downtown cultural, arts and entertainment venues, locally owned restaurants, nightlife, and professional sports. Nashville’s urban neighborhoods each have their own unique character created by their residents. The small living arrangements of micro-unit housing are enhanced by shared amenities that create a sense of community within the building. With convenient proximity to public transit and everyday services and activities, micro-unit housing residents can utilize public transportation or walk, rather than relying on the automobile—potentially saving $9,000 a year (on average according to AAA) in operating costs. The units themselves promote low-impact living because of their size and density.

Micro-unit housing rental is certainly not for everyone, but a real estate market benefits when it provides choices to meet the needs of various constituencies, especially market sectors that may be underrepresented at the moment. While micro-unit housing may be a niche market, it is a large and expanding niche. The arrival of micro-unit housing in Downtown Nashville, already robustly encouraged in other North American cities, seems a positive and inevitable future.

SUMMARY

NASHVILLE URBAN DESIGN PROGRAM SUMMER 2013

5.0

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION

1.0

Nashville Urban Design Program Summer 2013 Thomas K. Davis

1.1

Micro-Unit Housing Design Problem Statement Thomas K. Davis

1.2

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING RESEARCH

2.0

USA TODAY “The Next Big Thing” by Wendy Koch http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/30/tiny-apartments-apodmentscatch-on-us-cities/2580179/

2.1

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Thomas K. Davis

2.2

Micro-Unit Housing Typology Melissa Dooley

2.3

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING PRECEDENTS

3.0

Precedents

3.1

nArchitects http://www.narchitects.com/frameset_MMNY.htm ArchDaily http://www.archdaily.com/322429/mayor-bloomberg-announces-winner-of-adapt-nyccompetition/ The Architect’s Newspaper http://archpaper.com/news/articles.asp?id=6465 1 Kindesign http://www.onekindesign.com/tag/christian-schallert/

BIBLIOGRAPHY

NASHVILLE URBAN DESIGN PROGRAM SUMMER 2013

6.0

Smartspace http://www.panoramic.com/smartspace/ Trachtenberg Architects http://trachtenbergarch.com/project/soma-smartspace/ Calhoun Properties http://apodment.com/ Seattle.gov http://conlin.seattle.gov/2013/01/17/microunit-developments-aka-apodments/ Citytank http://citytank.org/2013/03/17/small-affordable-apartments-seattle-needsmore-not-a-moratorium/Home DSGN http://www.homedsgn.com/ 2011/04/15/maff-mini-apartment-in-the-hagueby-queeste-architecten/ Home DSGN http://www.homedsgn.com/ 2011/04/15/maff-mini-apartment-in-the-hagueby-queeste-architecten/ Architizer http://www.architizer.com/en_us/blog/dyn/76660/micro-apartments-competition-denver/ Inhabitat http://inhabitat.com/maff-micro-apartment-shows-how-small-spaces-canstill-feel-luxurious/ The Architect’s Newspaper http://archpaper.com/news/articles.asp?id=6574 Architizer http://www.architizer.com/en_us/blog/dyn/73305/micro-apartments-making-room/#.UeRWYY0p-T4 Resource Furniture http://blog.resourcefurniture.com/2013/01/new-york-city-makes-room-forlaunchpad/ Gans Studio http://www.gans-studio.net/projects/feature.php?id=1120 The Atlantic Cities http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/05/plan-make-micro-apartments-little-more-livable/5559/ Chris Marciano http://www.chrismarciano.com/#!residence/c5os Tiny House Talk http://tinyhousetalk.com/micro-loft-tiny-apartments-in-vancouver-rent-for850-a-month-under-300-square-feet/ The Atlantic Cities http://www.theatlanticcities.com/design/2013/02/one-americas-oldest-shopping-mallsconverts-micro-apartments/4755/

BIBLIOGRAPHY

NASHVILLE URBAN DESIGN PROGRAM SUMMER 2013

6.0

Better Cities http://beatifications/article/providence-warms-%E2%80%98microlofts%E2%80%99-20240 ekoHAUS Apartments http://www.ekohauspdx.com/ http://www.ekohauspdx.com/press-releases/action/view-pressAIA http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/ek_members/documents/pdf/aiab097268.pdf http://www.aia.org/practicing/AIAB098185 Precedents: Further Reading Thomas K. Davis

3.2

4.0

MICRO-UNIT HOUSING FOR NASHVILLE Team 1: Riverfront South Design by: Kaloyan Getev and Sean Miller Text by: Hannah Daniel

4.1

Team 2: City Hall Plaza Garage Design by: Breanna Carlton and Holly Harris Text by: Breanna Carlton

4.2

Team 3: City Hall Plaza Design by: Hannah Daniel and Melissa Dooley Text by: Hannah Daniel and Melissa Dooley

4.3

Team 4: First Avenue Design by: Jeremy Beasley and Bailey Comer Text by: Bailey Comer

4.4

Team 5: The Landport Design by: Gerry Hogsed and Jamie Schlenker Text by: Hannah Daniel

4.5

5.0

SUMMARY Melissa Dooley and Thomas K. Davis

SPECIAL THANKS TO Julia Landstreet Gary Gaston Stephanie McCullough Ron Yearwood Tamara Dickson Don Klein Curtis Lesh

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Executive Director, NCDC UT Lecturer and NCDC Design Director UT Lecturer and NCDC Communications Director Urban Designer, NCDC Vice President, Nashville Downtown Partnership CEO, Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Project Architect, Tuck Hinton Architects

NASHVILLE URBAN DESIGN PROGRAM SUMMER 2013

6.0