Girls Inc. of Memphis - South Park Center
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Architecture
Interior Design
Programming
Signage Design -
Adaptive Reuse
Heat Island Effect Mitigation
Low Maintenance Materials -
Completed December 2018
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Memphis, Tennessee
The South Park Center is transformed on an extremely tight budget to foster a stronger identity and connection with the economically disadvantaged neighborhood it serves.
Since 1946, Girls Inc. of Memphis has been dedicated to empowering girls to be strong, smart, and bold. The renovation further advances their mission of service to the Greater Memphis community. Working with the client, we identified three primary strategies that can be consistent between multiple centers both old and new: a bold front porch, clear and identifiable thresholds, and an economical material pallet that contrasts the warm Girls Inc. red with various cool grey paint colors.
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The front porch serves as both a presence in the community and a covered outdoor gathering space for the girls. The strategy includes a porch profile clad in economical cement board panels, a familiar backdrop of horizontal cedar siding, and large signage. The covered areas promote outdoor activities on sites where shade is seldom seen and provide cover on rainy days when a long line of girls forms as they arrive. Clear thresholds into the Center and the main gathering spaces reinforce the concept that this is a safe place to be nurtured, educated, and prepared for the future.
The front porch serves as the first threshold into the building. The second threshold, also painted in red, leads into the main gathering space and is one of the few conditions where new interior walls were added. Throughout most of the space, grey vinyl floor tiles were chosen for durability. Red tiles were also used within these areas to match the walls. In order to satisfy a need for personal storage, plywood cubbies were built to provide a place for belongings such as backpacks and books.
