Desoto County Justice Center is a 25,000 sf. court and office facility located adjacent to the County Detention Facility. The building sits prominently at the terminus of the approach drive and parking lot. Included within it are two identical courtrooms which seat approximately 200 occupants each. The roof is lifted above each courtroom to provide daylight into the space without compromising security and/or privacy. The glassy entry and waiting lobbies are bathed in sunlight throughout each day while the rest of the structure is wrapped in burnished concrete masonry and a dark metal skin. A large entry porch allows for outdoor waiting and queuing as needed and provides a unique entry sequence. Court Clerk offices, judges offices, and a visitation center complete the program.

Photography: MELLON.STUDIO and Bruce Cole

This 11,000 sf modern OB/GYN office and clinic is located in Southaven, MS within the City’s medical district. The structure stands out amongst its peers due to the contemporary aesthetic of the exterior design. The interiors are distinctive to the MOGA brand. Finishes and materials were chosen in order to accomplish a warm and welcoming environment. Each exam room is equipped with a custom window box protruding from the facade. The exam windows are intentionally angled and placed within the room to achieve daylight without compromising patient privacy.

Photography: MELLON.STUDIO and Bruce Cole

UrbanARCH transformed a 1960’s-style concourse into an inviting and contemporary facility that all Memphians can be proud of. The 183,000 sf concourse reconstruction incorporates 23 new/expanded gates, moving walkways, seismic structural retrofit, an all-new concessions program, St. Jude Family Lounge, Military Lounge, world-class restroom facilities, live performance stage, and $1.5M local/public art program.

The 19ft tall perforated metal ceilings fold and undulate to achieve an energetic design expression as travelers move underneath. The ceiling treatment respects and is complimentary to MEM’s existing terminal buildings and the “martini glass” structural expression achieved there. Auto-tinting dynamic glazing reacts to time of day and sun angles to protect the occupants from harsh sunlight while achieving energy efficiency.

This project was completed in association with Alliiance. The resulting design is light-filled, uplifting and reinvents aviation travel to and from Memphis.

Photography: MELLON.STUDIO

This 10,500 seat outdoor amphitheater in the City of Southaven, Mississippi was designed and developed on a fast track construction schedule.  Located on a flat site, the design required extensive earthwork and segmented block retaining walls in order to achieve ideal sightlines for concert goers.  This complex, including box office, stage enclosure, restroom buildings, concessions and V.I.P. pavilion provides a popular music venue for the entire mid-south region.  The stage enclosure's exterior design is inspired by the aging siding of typical wood barns and agricultural structures of the area. UPDATE: In 2023, massive upgrades were made to the existing complex. Permanent concession buildings, additional rest rooms, a conditioned V.I.P lounge, and merchandise buildings were added to the Amphitheater. Much of the lawn area was replaced with over 5000 permanent seats. The new structures are all inspired by agricultural architecture of the area and complete the master-planned vision for this venue. BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove is now considered one of the area’s premier concert venues and it attracts nearly 100,000 spectators each concert season.

Photography: MELLON.STUDIO

A new clinic and administrative headquarters for Memphis’ premier OB/GYN group. The building plan is linear to respond to the geometry of the property. The exterior is grounded with a consistent stone base and topped out with a metallic crown. The massing is accentuated with a darker toned metal ribbon and wood cladding. The main entrance is tucked beneath the drive-thru drop-off canopy. The wood clad ceiling of the drive-thru extends into the waiting area and defines the entry and check-in path. Within the clinical zones, color is used to demark staff and work areas and differentiate them from patient areas. Patient exam rooms are wrapped around the blue shared work areas. The second floor serves as the administrative offices and meeting areas. A large break room punctuates the rear corner of the second level where juliet balconies offer the ability to open up to the outdoors.

Photography: MELLON.STUDIO

The adaptation of a small downtown building into a coffee shop and residence for a contemporary young family.

A historic 100-year-old building provided the ideal location for a downtown family’s live-work concept. Originally constructed as a bank, the building most recently functioned as an office and restaurant space before becoming empty for nearly 10 years. The street-level now accommodates a new coffee shop, and the upper floors house the private residence. Historic details and materials were cleaned and stabilized throughout the building. New entry doors, a simple canopy, and a glass garage door were added to modernize the storefront. Exposed brick, tall ceilings, floor finishes, and a light well were all exposed and restored to keep the character of the existing building. To accommodate the expectance of the family’s first child, the existing mezzanine was expanded to create a primary bedroom suite level where two bedrooms were tucked under the floor below. In addition, an enclosed rooftop level was added to the building, and the circulation was reconfigured to maximize usable space. A folded metal stair provides the backdrop for the open entertainment area while providing a circulation slot that runs from the ground floor to the 4th level addition.

After sitting empty and underutilized for years, the former chapel and medical ward for Desoto County’s adult detention center has been converted into a juvenile courtroom and related administrative offices. Privacy and efficiency of transport to a court facility a few blocks away had become difficult to manage. The project makes it easy to provide safe, efficient, and secure transport to the new onsite courtroom. The courtroom aims to inspire improvement in the lives of the juveniles it serves, so the exposed CMU walls and lay-in tile ceilings were replaced with a modern installation of wood ceiling and wall panels.  To improve acoustics and create visual interest in the tall space, perforated acoustical wood panels were installed on a folded ceiling plane.

Photography: MELLON.STUDIO

Wilder-12 is a Student Recruitment and Event Center at the top of the tallest building on the campus of the University of Memphis. The project converts former library book stack storage space into what has become the first impression for many visitors and prospective students on their first visit to campus.

This space offers the user the ability to see the entire campus from one vantage point. The industrial undertones of the design are inspired by the spirit of the City and the University - hard working, vibrant, tough, hospitable, and resilient. The design of Wilder-12 is meant to align with those qualities. University colors are prevalent and set against a backdrop of exposed structure, conduit, piping and other utilitarian devices.

Photography by CLR Photography

This 8,400 sf medical facility is split into two tenants. One side of the building is an eyecare clinic, and the other is dedicated to an eye surgery center ASC. The front of the building is largely transparent in order to visually connect the internal occupants with the site and vice versa. The backlit perforated metal facade illuminates the entries and the parking lot and serves as a beacon to the community. A drive-thru drop-off is located on the end of the building adjacent to the surgery center entryway.

Photography: Bruce Cole

Comeback Coffee is downtown Memphis’ destination spot for conversation and coffee. The art of craft brewed coffee inspired this careful renovation and addition to a historic brick structure in the Pinch District in Downtown Memphis. Material choices and color pallette was chosen in an effort to create a welcoming environment and to inspire customers to relax and stay awhile. A simple canopy constructed of framing lumber creates a lattice-like ceiling element floating above the shou sugi ban wood clad service counter. Soft lighting and exposed existing brick and eroding plaster work remind of the historic nature of the building and neighborhood. Additions include the reclamation of an adjacent alley space for outdoor seating and courtyard as well as the addition of kitchen and rest rooms.

Photography: Chad Mellon

Southaven’s City Hall occupies a former corporate building originally designed in the 1960’s. This renovation is highlighted by simple façade improvements, re-roof, and interior modifications to respectfully modernize the areas of public interaction in keeping with the mid-century modern exterior. The removal of the existing drop-off driveway makes way for the new exterior entry plaza and the former drop-off canopy is now converted to a new and inviting glass entry lobby. In addition to becoming the new welcome center, the new lobby serves as pre-function space before and after public meetings which occur in the adjacent public board room. The exterior renovation concept respects and strengthens the building’s original design and it’s repetitious structure and rhythmic window organization. Linear LED lighting, light colored paint scheme, and updated materials provides a bright and clean aesthetic in contrast to the former interior. A small alcove in the main hallway, the former location of a welcome desk, has been expanded and converted into the City’s new Tribute Hall to honor historical citizens of distinction.

Photography: MELLON.STUDIO

2019 AIA Memphis Design Award Winner!

An adaptive reuse conversion of a 110 year-old historic office building into a 58 room upscale boutique hotel located in Downtown Memphis.  The building is on the National Register of Historic Places, and as part of the renovation the building's original historic features were maintained.  The hotel consists of a mixture of King and Double-occupancy rooms and suites, as well as a restaurant and bar with a full service kitchen.  The entrance lobbies of the building have been unified to recapture the spatial arrangement of the original historic design. The new design elements and quality finishes of the public spaces are distinctively modern yet complementary to the historic ornamentation that remains.

Photography by Chad Mellon

Ramblin Joe’s is a small coffee outlet inspired by the great natural settings of Tennessee. Located just past the security checkpoint at Memphis International Airport (MEM), this coffee shop is visually appealing and welcoming. The use of durable yet warm interior finishes and lighting makes Ramblin Joe’s the traveler’s choice for a quick cup of joe!

The Greenbrook Indoor Softball facility serves as a designated indoor softball batting cage and practice facility at the existing Greenbrook Park in Southaven, MS. The exterior is designed to fit within the context of the existing park by taking material cues from existing park architecture. The interior is simple and designed to be rugged and durable enough to withstand many years of use. The four batting/pitching cages are retractable to open the space up into one large turf area to provide flexibility for fielding practice or for a multitude of potential group functions. A catering kitchen on the ground floor and a mezzanine level spectator gallery space makes this facility choice for sport themed parties or for simply watching practice.

Photography by CLR Photography

Silo Square is a mixed-use development in Southaven Mississippi. Designed to invoke a nostalgic feel, each building has been carefully crafted and composed to compliment one another and to collectively build a sense of place. Boutique shops and eateries line the streets along the ground floors of each building with loft residential units on the floors above. The main entry to Silo Square is marked by the the Snowden Pedestrian Bridge. The bridge (also designed by UrbanARCH) links the Silo development to Snowden Grove Park and Amphitheater area directly across the 5-lane Getwell Road. The bridge is a critical element that literally connects Silo to the Park. Due to the distinctive character of the development and due to the synergy created by the eclectic mix of tenants, Silo Square has quickly become the destination center of Southaven.

The building is comprised of three programmatic volumes each with its own simple mass, material, and function. The surgery and support spaces are housed in the white brick box. The second volume is wrapped in ribbed metal and contains the pedestrian drop-off, entry lobby, reception, and business office. The metal wraps the entire public portion of the building which fronts the street. Where the metal wrapper is removed, a playful tri-colored pattern of fiber-cement panels is introduced at the pedestrian area. The third volume is a small wood rainscreen-clad projection that encompasses the waiting area; a smaller more intimate scaled space which is positioned towards the north for indirect daylighting. The goal of the project design was to create “a modern vision for the vision impaired”.

Photography by Bryan Allen and Bruce Cole

Artfully recrafted into a unique hospitality experience, 149 Madison combines the history of a 100 year old downtown building with modern decor and the comforts of home. Consisting of exterior renovations plus the complete build-out of two modern apartments at the 2nd level of this historic structure, the design brings this once overlooked property back to relevance as an overnight destination spot within the heart of the city.

Photography: Chad Mellon

The Snowden Grove Tennis Center, in Southaven Mississippi, is an expansion of an existing tennis complex. The existing center consisted of 4 outdoor tennis courts and a 40 year old metal building that served as a multi-purpose community facility. The expansion includes 8 new outdoor courts, a central rest room structure, and spectator shade structures. By removing the walls of the existing 7,000sf metal building and placing a smaller glass volume beneath the existing roof and structure, the gleaming new pro-shop offers retail, locker rooms, a cafe and an expansive covered porch area to host large tournament crowds.

Photography by Chad Mellon

Images 10,13, and 15 Photography: CLR Photography

Tennessee Eye Center is an ophthalmic surgery center and optometry clinic located in Lenoir City, Tennessee. The contemporary styling of the facility is designed to serve as a precursor for the modern technology utilized by the skilled clinicians and surgeons practicing within. A combination of brick, standing seam metal panels, and wood rainscreen elements create an appealing and attractive material pallette for this large one-story structure. The facility features 12 exam rooms, a large optical selection area, 2 operating rooms and a covered entry/drop-off canopy.

Photography by Bruce Cole

An abandoned building on Broad Avenue is transformed into the new creative workspace for a tech and marketing firm. Simple Focus wanted to provide an inspiring collaboration space for their team to work as well as provide a space that could open up to the community and street. The ground level is utilized for group meeting areas, a gallery, kitchen, and a fitness studio. The sculptural plywood stair offers an impromptu gathering and viewing area for large groups. The clear storefront and glass garage door offer opportunities for engaging the street. The second level contains the offices and open work areas for the creative team. The stair well becomes a symbolic connection of the firm’s work with the community.

Photography by Chad Mellon

Furnishings by Office Interiors- Memphis

Serving as the corporate headquarters for a national specialty courier business, this 10,800 sf facility accommodates current staff and operations with room for expansion. An attached drive-through garage allows for rapid processing of shipments and deliveries.

Enclosed within is a clean, bright, and streamlined interior design that coordinates with the vision and operations of this fast moving and efficient business model. 

Daytime Photography: Chad Mellon

Night Time Photography: Claudia Lopez Rhea Photography

Furnishings by Office Interiors - Memphis

This 2500 sq ft. office space is situated in the historic South Main District in Memphis, Tennessee.  UrbanARCH converted this dilapidated building that had been unoccupied for nearly 20 years into a modern office space without compromising the aesthetics of the existing Art Deco façade.   The exposed existing plaster perimeter walls are contrasted against the new contemporary interior construction. Careful design consideration was given to event the smallest of details to create an engaging and exciting workplace.  This project was awarded the 2014 AIA-Memphis Award of Excellence.

The Southaven Senior Center is an activity center for senior adults located in Desoto County Mississippi.  This 20,000 sf facility accommodates the City and County's growing population of senior adults with activity spaces that include dance, aerobics, and yoga. Other amenities include a juice bar and cafe, a book exchange library, lounge spaces, and an outdoor activities yard.  The largest gathering space is a multi-purpose room that can be sub-divided into three smaller activity rooms as needed and can accomodate banquets as it includes an adjacent catering kitchen.

Photography by Chad Mellon

The Fillin' Station Grill is a 5,600 s.f. casual dining restaurant in Southaven, Mississippi.  The building design draws inspiration from roadside garage and gas stations prevalent in the early to mid 20th century.  The psuedo-industrial material pallette and decor create a comfortable and interesting visual experience. The restaurant is situated adjacent to a large motorcycle dealership and shares a common courtyard/plaza area with the dealership.

Corky's is one of the most recognized names in American Bar-B-Q.  This restaurant prototype is designed to be adaptable to future franchises in other locations.  Site planning, location and aesthetics were all considered to meet the needs of an evolving business model.  The building design and interiors invoke images of Mississippi juke-joints, but provide for a comfortable and casual dining experience.

This 5,200 sf custom themed pizzaria restaurant incorporates bright colors along with unique art and furnishings in order to create a high-energy, engaging atmosphere.  The careful integration of custom art installations, custom millwork fabrications, and durable finish materials results in a highly functional eatery within a fun, family friendly atmosphere.

Snowden Grove Park is nationally known as one of the premier youth baseball parks in the country. The park serves as the host of the Dizzy Dean World Series each year.  UrbanARCH transformed three of the four groups of fields into active mini-stadiums complete with fixed seating, permanent overhead canopies and new concession buildings and press-box facilities.  

Photography by Chad Mellon

Doc's is not just a wine store.  This 9,000 sf retail wine and spirits outlet features reclaimed wood floors, glass tile, and a subtle-but-modern color pallete to create a warm, upscale, inviting interior environment for its customers. The store features a custom growler station with 28 beer and wine taps mounted on recycled wine barrell tops.  Blue wine bottles adorn custom built light fixtures in the center of the space. Existing ceiling planes were cut away to increase the sense of volume within the space.  

The site for this automatic carwash is a very narrow parcel of land wedged between Memphis’ busiest East/West thoroughfare (Poplar Avenue) and the Norfolk-Southern Railroad tracks. Inspiration was drawn from the train cars passing the site several times daily as well as from the simple fact that the building is an automated machine. The concept was focused on a design philosophy of creating a unique building by using simple forms and allowing the building to speak for itself by being honest and open about the function within. To do this, the design opts for a more contemporary interpretation of the carwash as a machine with clean lines and simple forms.

Meeting the demands of one of the fastest growing cities in the state, this 17,000 s.f. police station meets the needs of a rapidly expanding police force.  The modern design reflects the progressive nature of the high-tech facility needed to serve a growing community.

Dewitt Spain Airport serves the Memphis Metro Area as a municipal airport.  The project involved many improvements including a new covered drop-off, covered walkway from parking to the entry, and the conversion of portions of an existing hangar into a flight school.  Ipe wood slat panels are utilized to create a friendly and welcoming entry experience. 

This outdoor amphitheater project is designed to retain and compliment as much of the natural features of the site as possible. The seating bowl will require minimal sculpting to fit within a natural valley. The stage is situated to allow the existing lake to serve as the backdrop. Planned features include new dressing/green room facility, new rest room buildings, and loading facilities. 

A few UrbanARCH projects not yet completed.  Stay tuned for updates as these projects become reality. 

-Private Residence, North Holly Springs MS

-Private Residence, Holly Springs MS

-100 North Main Redevelopment Concept, Memphis TN

-Provost Mixed-Use, Southaven MS

-Private LakeHouse, Paris TN

-Central Crossing Mixed-Use, Southaven MS

-Crosstown Court, Memphis TN

-22 South Cooper, Memphis TN

-Desoto Lofts, Memphis TN