Motif on Music Row
In 1974, the United Artists Tower was developed by the Jordanaires (Elvis’ backup band) as an office building on Music Row. The octagonal shaped, 9-story structure also housed several radio stations and a recording studio, before being offered as residential condominiums in 2006 and ultimately falling into disrepair. In 2015, MZA was approached by a group of local hoteliers who sought to redevelop the property into a first-of-its-kind hotel on Music Row. Over the following several years, the design team met with community leaders and other stakeholders, council people, historians, and government officials to develop a project on the site that had the support of the city and would be complementary to its neighborhood’s needs.
50 years after the UA Tower opened, Motif on Music Row arrived to take its place – a 133 key hotel with guest suites that include full kitchens and, in many suite types, multiple bedrooms and bathrooms. A 3800 SF first floor space faces onto Chet Atkins Way for a future restaurant. MZA worked with a concise palette of materials for budget and construction efficiency – brick, stucco, wood, glass and metal are used throughout in simple but thoughtful ways. The proportions of the site and requirements of the new building mandated creativity to solve guest room floor plans – MZA ultimately had 15 different room types within the building to maximize the use of available space and limited windows.
The pedestrian approach to the lobby is up a gentle exterior ramp which bisects the hotel “side” from the food and beverage “side” of the building’s first floor. The lobby is elevated 5 ½ feet above the street to utilize the former UA Tower’s first floor level which is situated over three stories of existing below ground parking which the project reused. The lobby’s wood ceiling provides the space with a unique identity; the wood also rolls up the façade to becomes the edge of the third story pool deck. The outdoor pool overlooks Music Square West (and Vanderbilt beyond) and offers custom accoya wood cabanas for guest use and a pool lounge suite complete with a kitchenette and ping pong table.
MZA also provided full-service Interior Design for the project, developing a cohesive finish palette and fixture selections for all amenity spaces and guest units, including the specialty United Artists Suite. The interiors scope also included furniture design and specification for the property, along with procurement coordination. The design pays a subtle homage to analog audio recording and the rich history of Music Row: ribbons of black trim and a playful scribble of wallcovering evoke an unspooling of audio tape, while blocks of vibrant red and blue lobby furniture wink at “Record” and “Pause” buttons. Throughout the property, a slightly retro palette is a nod to vintage music executive suites and recording studio interiors, with warm wood and olive- and camel-colored leather set against cool navy blues and velvet accents.
- Location: Nashville, TN
- Year: 2024
- Online: https://motifonmusicrow.com/