I moved to
Nashville in 2004.
There were many alluring structures around town that caught my eye in the first few weeks of residency.
I thought the Country Music Hall of Fame was an appropriately celebrated design for the purpose of the building.
I feel the Bridgestone Arena (
Gaylord Entertainment Center at the time) seemed very daunting and intriguing juxtaposed against the lower Broadway honky tonks.
I also appreciated the life and activity going on in both
Centennial Park and
Bicentennial Park.
All of these are well recognized pieces around
Davidson County, but when I moved here, a much lesser known building caught my eye as well.
The Imperial House is unassuming.
It is simple, and it is just out of one’s line of sight driving down Harding Pike.
Modernist structures like this are rare in
Nashville, so it did catch my eye early on.
It was clearly an aging building, and it had outlived its original purpose (luxury apartments).
With that said, I just stored the building into my “almost forgotten” memory bank of my brain never to really think about it unless I was driving by the building.
As Spring of 2005 rolled around, a friend dragged me to another miserable round of golf (miserable because I am not a very good golfer…not because of the company) as weather around town was improving.
My golf game is simply atrocious, so I try to make a point to be more social when I am on the course.
Interestingly, our discussions led my friend to bring up the Imperial House on the golf course as one of those surprisingly interesting buildings around town.
“I have an idea to turn those apartments into luxury condos…now if only I could get paid for my ideas”.
Yes.
If only.
But, I agreed with him.
The Imperial House is well located: right in the thick of things in Belle Meade.
To boot,
Nashville is home to plenty of rich people that would have loved throwing down a large wad of cash for a condo project at the time.
The building was, once again, stored into the back corner of my mind with occasional thoughts of how neat it would be to see true activity return to the deteriorating site.
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| Elevation |
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| The sad state of the Imperial House: left in ruin |
When Fad_writer, fAd_writer, and myself started this blog, I knew that I wanted to tell people about this building.
I also knew I wanted to know more about it myself.
What I like about the building, first, is how simple it truly is.
Too often, I feel architects complicate buildings in hopes of creating something memorable.
The Imperial House has a repeated balcony condition and precast concrete panels.
That is really it.
As far as apartment buildings go, it has outlasted many.
Constructed in 1961, fifty years is quite a long time for a building like this.
The Imperial House did not need any flamboyant gestures or outrageous architectural expressions.
It is what it is.
As mentioned, the balconies play a large role in the design.
The upturned white concrete gives clear definition and spatial recognition to the façade while at the same time, creates a striking repetition from any perspective.
One’s eyes easily stray upwards to the top of the building where the concrete shading devices perch in a winged manner.
The original design had an occupied roof terrace where residents could take in splendid views of the rolling
Nashville pastures (not so much pastures anymore).
Benches for sitting and trees brought life to the roof: right out of Le Corbusier’s 5 points of architecture.
Not earth shattering by today’s standards, but in
Nashville 1961, it was certainly a perk.
The exposed aggregate on the precast panels (the panels were poured on site but not in place…in 1961, this was not only rare, but fairly remarkable in terms of construction) breaks up the façade just enough to bring to a more comforting scale to the north and south elevations.
The proportions of said elevations are well sized as the middle piece contains perforated concrete block screen walls.
This portion lightly touches the ground indicating an exit from either side of the building, again, well sized for a pair of 3’-0” doors.
Top notch, if you ask me.
Even the parking lot speaks to the design occurring on the building.
Sunshades covering parking spaces mimic the sunshades atop the building and appear to be seamlessly integrated into the apartment building itself.
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| Repetition of balconies |
I made a trip to the Imperial House recently to take photos.
I see a building in decay.
No doubt water damage from the big flood did its part as well.
It is a bit sad to see the condition of the building as it stands today.
One must wonder if
St. Thomas has plans for it.
My hopes are that they do plan on installing the expensive sprinkler system (the blame for its doom) and, once again, allow residents to move in (assisted living facility adjacent to the hospital, perhaps?).
Those are my hopes as well as the Nashville Historic Inc.
They have listed the Imperial House as an endangered building (
http://nashvillecitypaper.com/files/citypaper/2010%20Nashville%20Nine.pdf).
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| Front entry. Fountain obviously not operating anymore. :( |
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| Looking west: concrete shaders over parking lot |
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| Perforated concrete block screen wall |
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| Close up of balcony |
The Imperial House was designed by Earl Swensson, FAIA.
-faD_writer
Your golfing friend is a genius!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fascinating blog article! I've always been curious about this structure, thanks for the insight into this piece of Nashville architecture history.
ReplyDeleteI would love to read an interview with Mr. Swensson about this project and his process. Is he still living?
it IS a beautiful building. and yes, Earl Swensson is still living.
ReplyDeleteIt always saddens and frustrates me that so many structures are demolished or left to decay. The Imperial House is an outstanding example of mid-century modern design that needs to be preserved for future generations!
ReplyDeleteMy father and mother managed the Imperial House in the late sixties until the hospital bought it. I grew up there. I went back to visit not too long ago and it is in ruins, I wish someone would fix it up again. THat is my childhood home.
ReplyDeleteI grew up visiting my Grandparents at the Imperial House. They had an end unit facing the front entry and fountain. I loved the bellman, Henry, the glass mailboxes you could see through, the pool that I thought was HUGE, the laundry room full with housekeepers doing laundry and socializing with one another, the rooftop tree area, the "mysterious" penthouse, the trash shute, playing "going somewhere" in the covered parking lot, visiting my grandfathers shop in the basement, putting my face through the cutout in the concrete wall on the balcony and watching people coming and going. And most of all just hanging out anywhere in or around the Imperial House. I remember it being so open, full of light, full of life, and a wonderful place to just be. Additionally, you could walk to Ben Franklin and TG&Y. The down escalator at TG&Y would take you right to the toy department where my grandfather once bought me a green dyed baby chick for Easter. The Imperial House was Urban Living at it's finest. The perforated block screen wall was always a delight to look at, situated outside the large plate glass window of my grandparents dining room. The design is forever etched in my mind. Earl Swensson is a brilliant architect. I recall my Grandmother living through all of the construction of St. Thomas which was the beginning of forever losing the peacefulness that once surrounded the Imperial House. So I say to St. Thomas: Please think about renovating the Imperial House. It is the right thing to do. God Bless.
DeleteThanks for sharing that. There's always hope they do the right thing.
DeleteTruly sad. I don't even live in Nashville, but there's always been something about this building that has attracted my attention since I was a child on our infrequent trips to Nashville. Even today, at 40 years of age, when in this part of Nashville, I have to stop just to look at the Imperial House. I have no personal connection to the building, but it intrigues me. I can only imagine the life that was once there. I hope they never demolish it.
ReplyDeleteI drove by recently and was met by two security guards who said they were hired to keep people off the property until it's planned demolition. :(
ReplyDeleteIt appears Panda got past security though. http://www.12ozprophet.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8628421&postcount=11553
ReplyDeleteThat is extraordinary.
ReplyDeleteApparently that place is FULL of asbestos. My friend lived there for 4 years until they made everyone move out in 2005. She later contracted lung cancer and died a couple years ago. She was a life long smoker too though.
ReplyDeleteIn the demolition, hopefully it will be done correctly not to contaminate the nearby stream & neighborhood or hospital next door.
We work next door. The NBJ Journal said it could be done in a few weeks. They probably won't implode it if it has asbestos, or they would have an HAZ-Mat team go in first. I have a friend who was a caretaker of the place during the summers while in high school. I remember the care takers building next to Richland Creek. I use to frequent the long gone Knights Of Columbus behind the building across the creek, Many memories there in the 1960's and 1970's.
ReplyDeleteI love this structure and would love to live there. is there not a way to contain the asbestos, so its not a hazard? don't most old bldgs have asbestos, one way or another...you know all the old ones downtown, and they're still vibrant! so many questions...I would love to live there.
ReplyDeleteI made a visual dirge/memorial for a building I love. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atvRFgsx4J4
ReplyDeleteThe Imperial House - A rare and stunning example of mid-century architecture in Nashville - on the verge of demolition.
"Imperial House Apartment Building – Located at 109 Bosley Springs Road next to the St. Thomas Hospital campus, this distinctive high-rise apartment building was designed by local
architect Earl S. Swensson, FAIA. Completed from 1961-1964, the 110-unit apartment building was constructed with a structural framework made of pre-cast concrete. Likewise the cantilevered “pods” above the balconies and parking canopies are made of precast concrete. Other notable architectural details include the use of perforated concrete block screen walls; an exterior “skin” featuring marble chips and aluminum trip; and stylized private balconies with decorative railings. St. Thomas Hospital
purchased the 7-acre property in 1984 and later renovated it for use as elderly housing. However, in 2005, St. Thomas Hospital was forced to temporarily shutter the building due to the lack of a sprinkler system. The Imperial House Apartment Building is a rare example of Mid-Century Modern-style
architecture in Nashville."
Earl Swensson is still around and as lively as ever. http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2016/03/26/man-behind-batman-building-optimistic-new-nashville/82184472/
ReplyDeleteThe Imperial House was imploded yesterday.
ReplyDelete