Germantown Court
Nashville, Tennessee
This unique urban infill project transformed two formerly vacant lots into a community with ultra compact and efficiency cottages. The plan is designed to offer high density while maintaining the increased property values of detached units. The site planning allows for eight homes on a ½ acre lot. Four of the houses face 5th Avenue North to complement the historic nature of the block and four surround a common courtyard in the middle of the site. To maintain visual appeal and the serenity of the courtyard, parking is accessed via an alley at the rear of the site.
The design of the houses evokes a timeless spirit by using traditional forms; however, the floor plans are decidedly modern to attract a variety of residents. The units average 1,150 square feet each, with two bedrooms and two or two and a half baths. The houses have both a front and rear porch – the front porches supporting the kinship of urban life while the rear porch offers the privacy.
Design details normally sacrificed in projects of this scale abound. Elements such as trellises and flower boxes provide human scale. Environmentally-sensitive design was also employed through the use of crushed limestone for parking and rainwater diversion into barrels for irrigation.
