Memphis Teacher Residency

Project Details

Project Description

FROM THE ARCHITECTS: A faith-based, non-profit organization required a new space for recruitment, training and supporting teachers through an urban teacher residency graduate program. Their new space is positioned between a public, large central atrium and more intimate atrium of a large and recently renovated distribution center. The space is also open to a private terrace with outdoor seating. Their new home is made up of three functions: offices, larger training rooms and community areas for breaks and informal discussion. Wood space defining elements were used within the community spaces to encourage gathering. These components act as connective tissue between programmatic zones. At the entry, for example, a sign and seating detail offers areas for conversation, waiting and defines the entrance. The use of warm tones also establishes nodal areas for collaboration. The client’s distinct use of book icons to express a source of knowledge was translated into an architectural language and spatial detailing that colors and meters the space. To relate to the gritty context of this existing building, this maturing home-grown organization further defined its brand through spatial detailing in their new space.