The following project was submitted by myself and three other for the Urban Land Institute Hines Competition, a graduate urban design and development competition that encourages teams of individiauals across different fields, including architecture, urban planning,
landscape architecture and real estate.
landscape architecture and real estate.
"The Link" is a vibrant urban development plan that seeks to build upon, and further perpetuate, the desire to create and enhance urban neighborhoods in the city of Nashville, TN. Introducing key concepts such as walkable neighborhoods, public transportation, a decrease in automobile dependency and more efficient street networks, Nashville is at the forefront of urban revitalization efforts.
"The Link" seeks to turn this site, locally known as Sulphur Dell, into a thriving, dense, mixed-use area that takes advantage of its location. Primarily, "The Link" will connect Germantown, to the north, and Downtown, to the south, via 3rd Avenue, the highlight of this urban development plan and proposed retail epicenter for Nashville. In addition to the building of a new baseball stadium for the AAA Nashville Sounds, 3rd Ave. will feature a number of retail, housing, and commercial options to increase and encourage pedestrian traffic. Critical to this effort is the widening of 3rd Ave., not only to create opposing vehicular traffic flow, but also additional lanes for bicycles and a proposed route amendment for Nashville’s bus rapid transit system (BRT).
In addition to 3rd Avenue, "The Link" seeks to establish a strong visual and functional axis along Harrison St., the southernmost boundary of this site. The street will connect a Tennessee State Historical Museum to a proposed art gallery and studio for the arts. This thoroughfare will be terminated as a pedestrian walkway which extends over the Cumberland river, serving as a link between the two points of interest. Harrison St will also be the location of small scale coffee shops, art studios and boutiques, as well as affordable
and workforce housing.
and workforce housing.
Finally, "The Link" will build upon the Music City Bikeway that bisects the site. Flooding is an issue that needs to be addressed on this site and, by converting the bikeway into bioswales and introducing a network of retention and detention ponds, which begins to the east towards Cumberland River and ends on the western portion of the site at the amphitheater in the Bicentennial Capitol Mall. This low-impact design will mitigate excess water that flows through this site while also opening up the space for recreational uses.
In keeping with Nashville's desire to be a healthy and vibrant community, "The Link" has subscribed to the mantra "Healthy Mind. Healthy Body." through the revamped Music City Bikeway, that connects the Farmers Market, Bicentennial Capitol Mall, the Nashville Sounds Stadium and the Cumberland River, and the numerous activities provided by these venues, encouraging residents to spend time outdoors and engage with the environment
and with each other.
and with each other.