After laying dormant for almost two decades, this adaptive reuse revitalizes Nashville’s former Main Public Library building as creative office space.
In 2001, after 36 years as Nashville’s Main Public Library, 225 Polk Avenue was abandoned for a larger facility two blocks away. The building remained dormant until 2017 when it was purchased from the City. The new owners, also partners in a fast-growing architecture firm, were intent to restore the original structure and give the building new life as creative office space, including their own studio. The design concept was to respect and celebrate the rich history of the building while introducing a modern interior intervention providing for future flexibility.
The original marble and terrazzo were cleaned, repaired, and/or replaced while new systems, technologies, and materials – such as exterior glass – were introduced.
All modern intervention kept to a strict black and white color palette with walnut accents inspired by the original interiors. The original concrete columns, shear walls, and one-way ribbed slabs were stripped, cleaned, and left exposed to reveal the beauty of the original structure.
Honoring the original the building, the studio maintains an open plan. Illuminating the history of the building, linear pendant lights run diagonally in reference to the library stacks which ran in the same direction.
The spirit of the former library auditorium remains intact with The Athenaeum - a 1,500 sq ft community room for use by community organizations and non-profit groups located off the main lobby.
Last year more than 40 countries took part in the WIN Awards with strong showings from Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific. And we saw some truly outstanding interior designs, take a look at the winners from last year here.