Corporate environments typically refer to a branded aesthetic combined with contract furnishings to support staff as they carry out their daily tasks. When architects envision their own spaces, they often strive to capture a seamless blend of form and function that reflects the company’s signature structures.
When the Powell the team envisioned its own headquartersthey decided to create a modern workplace that acts as a showcase of their capabilities. “As an architecture, design and construction firm, we wanted to bring our clients into a space where it was all fully integrated and show them what we can do,” says Katie Vance, partner and creative director at Powell.
Located in the Berry Hill neighborhood, home of Nashville’s design district, two ordinary parcels were transformed into a three-story structure that houses Powell’s spaces and another tenant, a luxury functional medicine and movement studio.
Exquisite craftsmanship sets the tone as visitors enter the building through a first-floor lobby, where they are welcomed through an 11-foot custom white oak door. The area opens to a glass entrance with perforated steel, enlivened by terrazzo tiles in shades of peach, black, cream and hunter green.
Powell’s 3,806 square feet of office space is on the second floor. However, rather than simply highlighting a few interiors with distinct colors and signage, this section is immersive and warm, with strong visual moments. “We have a number of vignettes that you see in hospitality environments, like a great living room or a booth that feels comfortable,” notes Luke Tidwell, partner and CEO of Powell. “These are the same types of spaces we create, but in a smaller format.”
The studio functions as a gallery filled with unique items produced by 13 local makers, who also frequently collaborate with Powell. In the lounge, comfortable seating is combined with a Pullman-style upholstered booth. A custom bodega-like bar sits across the room. Clad in tiles, it features a playful iconography design featuring items that start with the letter P (for Powell, of course) such as pizza, a pirate and a cookie.
The marquee meeting room is decorated with a custom wallpaper from New Hat, with hues and details inspired by Powell’s completed works, each represented in its own rectangle. Greenery adds vibrancy to the entire workspace, while glass walls let light in and maintain a connection with the outdoors.
More than a workplace, Powell’s headquarters is a multidimensional narrative and living prototype that will continue to evolve alongside the company.
To see other works of the company, visit powellnashville.com.
Photo courtesy of Emily Dorio.
