Project Type: Adaptive Reuse - Warehouse to Creative Office, Interior fit-out Size: 66,000 SF Construction Cost: Withheld Completion: 2024 Project Role: Project Director | Design team lead Firm: Cooper Carry
While at Cooper Carry, I led the design for the interior fit-out of the old Werthan Mill Warehouse into speculative office suites as part of a redevelopment project in Nashville's historic Germantown neighborhood called Taylor Place. The warehouse has a rich 100-year history; it was originally used to produce paper and burlap bags and later by Purina for manufacturing cat and dog food bags. The nature of the spaces, particularly the lower level, with a tight existing column grid, made it difficult for potential tenants to visualize the space as functional offices.
The team transformed the warehouse into nine suites that complemented the building's character and were ready for immediate occupancy. When designing and layout the suites, we utilized this column grid within the office suites to dictate the locations for conference rooms and offices, which resulted in the spaces actually feeling larger than when they were without walls. The upper level boasts a beautiful steel bow-truss frame with exposed wood decking, an element which we featured to the fullest extent in the upper floor suite configuration. In a nod to the building's history, our team incorporated organic textures and materials, including burlap-like wall coverings, wood, and leather, used to maintain the warehouse's original character. Historic features like the numbered columns and fire standpipe were preserved, serving as a subtle tribute to the building's past. The strategic lighting further accentuated the original brick and exposed ceilings, bringing out the Mill's unique character.
The renovated building now includes a training room, common lounge, and micro-market for shared use by tenants, repurposing underutilized areas into inviting amenities. The design utilized daylight harvesting, with the aim of maximizing natural light streaming through the tall windows, thereby reducing the need for overhead lighting. The addition of lush planters was a deliberate move to bring softness and life into the building in contrast to the industrial aesthetic.