225 Polk, a former Nashville Public Library building, has undergone an adaptive reuse project to become the new HQ for Hastings Architecture. The building also houses the United Talent Agency and space for McAlpine, a residential architecture and interior design firm. Hastings occupies 24,000 sf of the building with space for the team of more than 85 architects, interior designers, and planners.
The building’s facade is composed of Georgia Cherokee marble panels and 16’ tall glass. All of the marble was cleaned, repaired, and/or replaced with new, perfectly matched marble from the original marble quarry. The original terrazzo floor in the lobby was refurbished, as was the terrazzo-clad monumental stair connecting the two main floors. The architectural interventions of the adaptive reuse were limited to a black and white color palette with walnut accents inspired by the original building’s interiors.
The Athenaeum, a 1,500-sf community room is accessible to the public and intended for use by community organizations and non-profit groups located on the first floor off the main lobby. The Athenaeum seats 100 and has standing room for up to 300 people.
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“This structure was built in 1965 to serve the people of Nashville as a public library,” said William Hastings, Partner at Hastings, in a release. “It was important that our design ensured that part of this historic building would remain accessible to the public and provide the community with a gathering place.”
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