The restoration and addition to the NABRICO building serves
as the beacon for revitalization of the Cumberland River’s East Bank in
downtown Nashville. Program Statement:
In 1908, on the east bank of downtown Nashville’s Cumberland
River, Arthur Dyer erected a 6 story 5,000sf office building for his newly
founded Nashville Bridge Company. This would be the first of many structures to
be built for what would become known as NABRICO. Much later, construction of Nashville’s new
NFL stadium in the mid-1990’s required the demolition of virtually all of the
East Bank’s industrial facilities. The
only structure that was spared was the original 1908 NABRICO building along
with two additions constructed in 1923 and 1965.

Now, as part of the greater Riverfront Redevelopment
initiative, NABRICO has been renovated for use in the 21st Century. This initial phase primarily focused on
bringing modern-day infrastructure and life safety features to the structure as
well as adding ground floor amenities for the adjacent water park such as
public restrooms, concessions and a park office.

The design concept has two very deliberate components: 1)
restore the architecture of the original two structures and (2) through the new
core addition necessitated by unusually small floor-plates, provide a symbolic
icon recalling the lost heritage of the site.

The NABRICO company was focused for most if its history on
the construction of barges.   Therefore,
by referencing the planer quality and materiality of the hull of a barge, the
addition is formed and sheathed in a way that acknowledges the site’s
heritage.   With sculptural, bold
language befitting a public space, the intervention creates a landmark and
offers a backdrop for public dialogue. HISTORY:
The original concrete frame office building was built in
1908 and connected to the adjacent bridge via walkway. By 1965, the industrial complex had grown to
take up the entire 5 acre site. The
majority of the complex was cleared in the 1990s to make way for the new NFL
stadium. All that remained was the
original headquarters, flanked by an addition from 1923 to the south and 1965
to the north. PROGRAM:
The primary programmatic challenge was to introduce two new
stairs, an elevator and accessible restrooms while maintaining maximum leasable
square footage and respecting the historic character of the original
structures.

Core location studies revealed that placing the program
within the historic building would absorb too much leasable area. However, placing these core elements against
the façade would be an insensitive response to the historic detail of the
existing building

By bringing the core element alongside the historic
structure, but delicately connecting back with a glass enclosed lobby, maximum
leasable area is maintained and the integrity of the original architecture is
preserved.

This solution resolves as a metaphor for the symbiotic
relationship found between a barge and tow boat, both historically manufactured
at this site.
SITE PLANLocated at the intersection of multiple circulation paths,
the site plan seeks to provide a point of reference while maintaining the flow
of pedestrians through the park and over the river towards downtown.

The area immediately around the building has been arranged
into a series of plazas. The plazas vary
in size and view, allowing for the focused gathering of large groups or more
intimate vistas across the river into the city.  MATERIAL/FORM:
Seeking to recognize the industrial heritage of the East
Bank, the design incorporates materials and forms associated with the
shipbuilding that had taken place on the site.

This solution also provided an opportunity to create a
sculptural and monumental solution that would befit the project’s location
within an urban park.