Teach For America Memphis Regional Office

1350 Concourse Ave. #437, Memphis, TN 38104 United States

Building Area (sf): 6,100

Completion: June 2017

Architect of Record:

Self + Tucker Architects

Juan R. Self, AIA
Mario Walker, AIA
Deepti Deshpande
Colby Mitchell
Patricia Quist-Therson
Nikole Daniels

• Owner/Client:
• General Contractor: Grinder Taber and Grinder, Inc.
• Electrical: HNA Engineering
• Engineering:
  HNA Engineering
• Other:
  
• Photography:
  
  

This interior renovation of a 6,100-square-foot space within a new vertical village has created a vibrant, high-efficiency, collaboration-driven workspace for educators to develop innovative teaching methods and further develop the quality of education within Memphis.

The smaller size of the program demanded a more agile and flexible workspace for this local regional office. It involved the total build out of a new space from a raw, shell condition. Through design charrettes focused on assessment of the organization’s vision for improving the educational landscape in the city, 3 main design goals were developed. 1. Create an environment for professional development; teaching & learning. 2. Create niches for different levels of focus (large team collaboration, small team collaboration, and individual workspaces.) 3. Preserve play spaces for lounging and socializing. These focal points led our design throughout the development of the project.

The program objective was hence to create a highly visible, multifunctional, warm and welcoming environment where the staff can work, learn and collaborate. We met these goals by interlocking different zones of focus, allowing users to find multiple spaces suited to the task at hand. We used different programmatic elements and color theories to define spaces, fine-tuning areas for different styles of learning and engagement.

The project is located within a vast community of tenants of all use types. This prompted the design team to create features that showcased the design outwardly to the community. The material requirements of the new office translated to gritty, industrial aesthetics which were robust, durable and comprised of raw finishes. Exposed concrete, weathered steel and wood were explored. Vibrant wall coloring and furniture incorporated throughout the space emphasizes the organization’s upbeat and innovative vision.

The final design contains a flexible, spacious, yet intimate hub for learning, that leverages the culture of the organization to enhance the arts, education and healthcare focused context of the project offering greater accessibility and visibility to the community it serves.