Project Description
As Girls Inc. continues to expand its presence in the city of Memphis, they looked to update their South Park and LDT centers on an extremely tight budget. While at opposite ends of the city, both centers are in economically depressed neighborhoods and in major need of a strong identity. Working with the client, we identified three primary strategies that can be consistent between centers both old and new: a bold front porch, clear and identifiable thresholds, and an economical material pallet that contrasts the warm Girls Inc. red with various cool grey paint colors.
The front porches, painted in the national Girls Inc. brand red, serve as both a presence in the community for the centers and a covered outdoor gathering space for the girls. The strategy includes a porch profile clad in economical cement board panels, a familiar backdrop of horizontal cedar siding, and large signage. The covered areas will promote outdoor activities on sites where shade is seldom seen and provide cover on rainy days when a long line of girls forms as they arrive.
Clear thresholds into the center and the main gathering spaces reinforce the concept that these centers are a safe place to be nurtured, educated, and prepared for the future. The front porch serves as the first threshold into the building. The second threshold, also painted in red, leads into the main gathering space and is one of the few conditions where new interior walls were added to these centers.
Throughout most of the space, grey vinyl floor tiles were chosen for durability; red tiles were also used within these areas to match the walls. In order to satisfy a need for personal storage, plywood cubbies were built to provide a place for belongings such as backpacks and books.
The total project square footage was 4,963 for the South Park center and 5,075 for the LDT center.