ALEXANDER STINCHCOMB

Inspired by the character, culture, and vibrancy of both the sport of rowing and the city of Nashville, the new boathouse will be an instrument of culture and leisure, a place to participate with or reflect upon the very essence of the architecture and sport. Serving as a critical point of focus for the design, the site of the boathouse becomes a crossing point between Cumberland Park and the proposed future development along the north shore of the Cumberland River. Consequently, the new boathouse manifests itself as a beacon for rowing enthusiasts and the public, marking the center of the new park district. With the addition of the boathouse and park elements the site seeks to be an interwoven riverfront, a synthesis of destinations, traditions, and landscapes.

 

Movements, externally and internally, drive the design, which strives to engage the bystander and participants with rowing and the architecture. Analyzing the movement of boats and pedestrians across the site in conjunction with the distinct programmatic questions produced a unique solution to the spatial organization of the design. By weaving the two distinct paths of the boats and pedestrians together, the design creates moments of pause that places the procession of boats on display. 

 

Through the form, spaces, and materials the new boathouse creates a lasting, monumental, and transparent architecture. Activities of the sport separate and open the building forms, providing glimpses into and through the specific programs of the building, such as boat circulation and boat storage. A heart for public culture and events, as well as an establishment for rowers to gather, the building and site lend themselves to nurturing an iconic hub for the park and city.