Alfred Williams & Company

25506.00 Alfred Williams & Company Nashville, Tennessee Architecture, Interior Design Sustainable Practice 2007 Associated Builders & Contractors Construction Excellence Award Renovation Under $2 Million Category

Alfred Williams & company, the exclusive representative for Herman Miller in Nashville, Tennessee, had run out of space in an unimpressive office building in the Gulch, a formerly seedy area in downtown that is quickly being revitalized. The company wanted to stay in the area, and purchased a two-story warehouse that had been badly renovated and expanded a number of times in its 75-plus years. The original project intent was to use most of the existing shell, but plans to gut it and build anew on the “good bones” had to be rethought when it was revealed that most of the bones weren’t very good.

Tasked with turning the building into a modern, trendy showroom worthy of the company’s high-end commercial furniture line, the GS&P design team, led by Jack Weber, IIDA, decided almost immediately that it would be much more dynamic as a two-story open space. The team envisioned

being able to view the furniture from above, on catwalks or mezzanines and from below. They saw spaces in which people had room to walk around the furniture and view it from different angles, space for design firms to hold planning meetings with clients and spaces large enough to host design industry events like cocktail parties, seminars and educational classes.

The resulting design makes brilliant use of existing structural elements—the good bones—like load-bearing masonry walls. These were initially an impediment to the openness and connectivity that were envisioned, but in the end became the base for a bridge that travels through openings punched in the walls. The bridge, or catwalk, is both a thoroughfare and viewing platform for the furniture below.

Below The furniture is found in surprising places: in a nook under a stairway, on pedestals and balconies, in working conference rooms and at employee work stations. (The space also houses a working office.)

Bright splashes of color on walls and arresting artwork around the space create light and elegance without competing for attention.

Before

“The space, the feeling, the finishes, the way that it’s furnished have helped brand us as a legitimate office furniture player in Nashville. Business is growing in Nashville, and the staff is invigorated by their new surroundings.”

— Blount Williams Alfred Williams & Company Owner, President

The interior was opened up from the ground floor to the ceiling girders. Heating and air conditioning ducts and masonry walls remain exposed. Light from windows punched through exterior walls floods every corner of the showroom and provides views of Nashville’s increasingly spectacular skyline.

The client also wanted the finished space to be as green as it is stunning. Demountable wall systems, regional materials, recycled content products and energy-efficient equipment and appliances were used throughout. The bridge that connects the front and back of the facility is made from timbers removed during demolition.

True to Alfred William’s original intent, clients want to stay longer and explore the showroom. A number of open houses have been held, and the showroom is a magnet for design professionals, both during and after working hours.

Before

Blount Williams, Alfred William’s president, summarized the project by saying he wanted to establish a serious presence in Nashville, and was “most appreciative that Jack Weber and his team even wanted to take on a project as complex and as small as this. The space, the feeling, the finishes, the way that it’s furnished have helped brand us as a legitimate office furniture player in Nashville.” ■

Gresham, Smith and Partners provides design and consulting solutions for the built environment that contribute to the success of national and international clients. For more than 40 years, GS&P has focused on enhancing quality of life and sustainability within communities. GS&P consists of industry-leading professionals practicing architecture and engineering design as well as scientists and highly specialized planning and strategic consultants in Environmental Compliance, Aviation, Corporate and Urban Design, Healthcare, Industrial, Land Planning, Transportation and Water Services. GS&P consistently ranks among the top architecture and engineering firms in the United States. For more information regarding GS&P, visit www.gspnet.com.

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