Meritan
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Architecture
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The project is currently on track to meet or exceed the early design goals including USGBC LEED certification and comply with the MLGW Energy Advantage program. It has already achieved dual Zero Energy and Zero Carbon Certification by ILFI and AIA 2030 Commitment compliance (carbon neutral).
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Completed in April 2019
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Memphis, Tennessee
Meritan, a regional non-profit organization, provides health and life services to vulnerable people in the community.
The client chose an abandoned, dilapidated warehouse structure at the edge of the downtown Memphis core to house their new headquarters specializing in foster care services and housing administration, call center workstations, and safe spaces for foster children and their families.
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The design strategy for this renovation project relies heavily on two simple strategies. The first, opening the space up to allow for sight lines all the way through the building in two directions—resulting in outside views in three of four directions while standing at the center of a square building. This also allows natural light to reach the center of the building via large expanses of floor-to-ceiling glass wall divisions, five layers deep.
The second strategy uses bold colors in response to the project’s tight budget. The idea began as an insistent imposition of the color green along the flat surfaces of a pair of 120’ green view tunnels. The green tunnels intersect perpendicularly at the center of the building, which is emphasized by a contrasting magenta color on the ceiling and floor surfaces. The two-dimensional layer of color played out in interesting ways within the imperfections of the rough tenant infill project, translating from paint into carpet and millwork where needed. The intersecting view tunnels create a collage of reflection and transparencies against the rest of the stark white and grey space.
