Chicago-based Mary Cook Associates (MCA), a national, award-winning commercial interior design firm, released new photography of Notion, a mid-rise apartment community located outside of Atlanta in Decatur, Ga. MCA designed more than 8,000 sf of interior and exterior amenity space at Notion, which celebrated its grand opening earlier this spring.
Located at 125 N. Arcadia Ave., Notion is part of the larger Sam’s Crossing Village mixed-use development, which includes 12,000 sf of retail anchored by a Publix grocery store. The community’s 290 upscale apartment residences include studios, one- and two-bedroom units.
Mary Cook Associates-designed interiors with coffee shop atmosphere
The design team at MCA worked closely with developer Toll Brothers Apartment Living and design architect Dwell Design Studio to develop an interior concept for Notion inspired by Decatur’s tree-lined streets, boutique retail and vibrant restaurant and coffee shop scene. Notion features a mix of contemporary furnishings, inviting textures, curated accessories and artwork—including a colorful branded wall made up of repurposed book spines—and three separate coffee bars to accentuate the coffeehouse atmosphere.
“The unique makeup of downtown Decatur presented our design team with an opportunity to create a living environment that mirrors the eclectic energy of the neighborhood while speaking to the sophistication and active lifestyle of today's renters,” said Mary Cook, president and found of Mary Cook Associates. “MCA’s researched design approach is guided by our deep understanding of the psychographics—the values, attitudes, interests, lifestyles and aspirations—of the end-users, allowing our team to execute aesthetically pleasing and high-performing spaces that foster creative expression, productivity and social engagement among residents.”
Notion incorporates high-end design elements that provide optimal functionality in its common areas, such as a hospitality-inspired lobby lounge and mailroom; expansive co-working space featuring communal and private workstations; a well-appointed exhibition kitchen and adjacent library lounge; and a 24-hour gaming lounge offering billiards, a beverage hub with beer and wine on tap, and a variety of seating options.
Additional amenities include a resort-style pool with cabanas; a landscaped courtyard with grills and lawn games; a dog park and “paw-spa;” a self-serve bicycle shop and storage area; and a club-quality fitness center with state-of-the-art machines for cardio and weight training, a fitness-on-demand studio and WellBeats for HIIT.
“It was important to understand what motivates residents and how they can interact with the spaces,” noted Cook. “Our research showed residents value functionality, flexibility and productivity, so we designed the common areas to support a variety of activities, and also transition seamlessly from day to night use. The end result provides multiple opportunities for residents to gather, converse, read, peruse social media, enjoy a beverage and collaborate on professional work.”
According to Cook, the holistic and site-specific interior design approach at Notion contributed to the community outperforming original leasing projections, quickly approaching full capacity following its grand opening. Notion represents the latest partnership between Mary Cook Associates and Toll Brothers Apartment Living and the second Atlanta-area collaboration between the two firms, following the completion of Oleander in Brookhaven in 2019.
About Mary Cook Associates
Established in 1986, Mary Cook Associates (MCA) is a fully integrated interior architecture and design firm nationally known for creating innovative interiors for leading owners and developers of real estate. The firm’s projects include multifamily, model homes, student living, senior living, clubhouses, restaurants, and hospitality environments. MCA’s work emphasizes functionality, showcases possibilities, and delivers a measurable Return on Environment (ROE℠). MCA’s team includes more than two dozen designers and architects that are strategic, imaginative and skilled at designing a wide variety of spaces that respond to demographic, geographic and lifestyle influences of target markets. Smart, functional spaces that establish immediate connections with their users and boost Living Better by Design℠, increase property value, and accelerate sales and occupancy rates are the hallmarks of the results MCA consistently achieves. In its 36th year, the firm continues to expand its national presence with award-winning work across the country.
Related Stories
| May 22, 2014
Just two years after opening, $60 million high school stadium will close for repairs
The 18,000-seat Eagle Stadium in Allen, Texas, opened in 2012 to much fanfare. But cracks recently began to appear throughout the structure, causing to the school district to close the facility.
| May 22, 2014
Senate kills bipartisan energy efficiency bill over Keystone pipeline amendment
The legislation focused on energy efficiency standards such as water heaters with smart meters and cheaper heating and cooling systems for office buildings.
| May 22, 2014
IKEA to convert original store into company museum
Due to open next year, the museum is expected to attract 200,000 people annually to rural Älmhult, Sweden, home of the first ever IKEA store.
| May 21, 2014
Evidence-based design practices for the palliative care environment
Palliative care strives to make patients comfortable as they are receiving treatment for a severe illness. As hospitals seek to avoid Affordable Care Act penalties for poor patient satisfaction, many expect this field to grow quickly.
| May 21, 2014
Gehry unveils plan for renovation, expansion of Philadelphia Museum of Art [slideshow]
Gehry's final design reorganizes and expands the building, adding more than 169,000 sf of space, much of it below the iconic structure.
| May 21, 2014
Architecture Billings Index in the negative for second consecutive month
The March ABI score was 49.6, up slightly from a mark of 48.8 in March, but still below the growth threshold of 50.
| May 20, 2014
Kinetic Architecture: New book explores innovations in active façades
The book, co-authored by Arup's Russell Fortmeyer, illustrates the various ways architects, consultants, and engineers approach energy and comfort by manipulating air, water, and light through the layers of passive and active building envelope systems.
| May 20, 2014
Using fire-rated glass in exterior applications
Fire-rated glazing and framing assemblies are just as beneficial on building exteriors as they are on the inside. But knowing how to select the correct fire-rated glass for exterior applications can be confusing. SPONSORED CONTENT
| May 20, 2014
World's best new skyscrapers: Renzo Piano's The Shard, China's 'doughnut hotel' voted to Emporis list
Eight other high-rise projects were named Emporis Skyscraper Award winners, including DC Tower 1 by Dominique Perrault Architecture and Tour Carpe Diem by Robert A.M. Stern.
| May 19, 2014
What can architects learn from nature’s 3.8 billion years of experience?
In a new report, HOK and Biomimicry 3.8 partnered to study how lessons from the temperate broadleaf forest biome, which houses many of the world’s largest population centers, can inform the design of the built environment.
