The Bridge Building

As part of a greater Riverfront Redevelopment initiative, the LEED Platinum renovation of the historic Nashville Bridge Company (NABRICO) building brings modern-day infrastructure and life-safety features to the structure and adds ground floor amenities such as public restrooms, concessions, and a park office for the adjacent park. A set of tenants mindfully curated based on their ability to provide the city with environmental and community benefit includes Southern Environmental Law Center, Cumberland River Compact, and Infinity Events and Catering.

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

Historically, NABRICO specialized in the construction of barges. Referencing the planer quality and materiality of the hull of a barge, the addition is formed and sheathed to acknowledge the site’s heritage. The bold, sculptural language of the structure befits the public space. The intervention creates a landmark and offers a backdrop for public dialogue.