Urban Live Work Studio
Project Description
Unresolved urban geometries intersect at the project site and become a proposition for the remainder of the project’s block (currently composed of early 19th century bungalows, now used as commercial space) The 2700sf Urban Live Work Studio takes advantage of contemporary urban strategies that encourage street-level activity through the elimination of building set-backs. The Urban Live Work Studio becomes the third multi-use building occupying the site, each with its own outdoor space at the level of the ground or on the roof.
The grain of the urban geometries informs the building structure, with exposed joists on lower levels running at the angle of the street. Two shear walls become organizing elements for the building’s interior, supporting a dramatic cantilever over the driveway to the south and framing an opening for a multistory stair to the north. Natural daylight is abundant throughout all of the building’s levels, eliminating the need for artificial lighting during the daytime when it is being used as a work space.
The residential level of the building is differentiated from the others somewhat subliminally, through its refinement and reduced scale. Ceilings are finished instead of exposed, and are at height which is generous yet comfortable. Wood columns and the beam which supports the cantilever remain exposed on this level, proving warmth through their materiality (there is no steel structure in the building). Above, the roof deck and garden provide views of the lush tree canopy, east to the historic courthouse and west to the Atlanta skyline.
