Shelby's Trio
Small Project (25,000 sf or less)
Shelby's Trio was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for the clients, but also developed in response to the growth of a revitalizing historic urban district. Challenges proposed by the client were as follows: create an energetic destination including three differing themed restaurant experiences within one facility; attract new pedestrian activity of recent adjacent public developments; and overcome extremely poor below grade site conditions to allow for a three-story structure.
Awards Year | 2024
Project Statement
The concept of each floor embodying a different restaurant character within the same building is the first of its kind for this historic downtown area. This challenge was met by capturing the interest of pedestrians attending events at a new adjacent arena, visitors of the nearby Historic Downtown District, as well as motorists driving through the project site’s intersection that is a convergence of traffic from distinctly differing areas of the City.
The building rests on the upper crest of a ridge offering panoramic views of its surroundings with continuous collapsible window-walls and outdoor balcony patio spaces. Its perch allows the unique opportunity to simultaneously overlook the Cumberland River and pasturelands across the river while also admiring the skyline of the historic urban district.
The project utilizes a warm palette of brick, wood, and accents of metal that draws on the context and the building site’s predecessor – a 1940’s Gulf Gas Station.
Hundreds of Rammed Aggregate Piers extending below grade were designed and constructed over the building pad area to stiffen poor soil conditions caused by buried remnants of the City’s 1880’s downtown fire. These soil conditions are very typical for sites all around the central Historic Downtown core of this particular City and can be very challenging to overcome. A neutral grid system of 12” diameter steel round pipe columns, from main floor to roof level, were designed to integrate with the Rammed Aggregate Pier foundation system for the super structure.
The Main Floor is an automotive-garage themed venue, a nod to the client’s ownership of a Top Fuel Racing Team and car collection as well as the site’s former use. This program required large overhead doors for the rotating car display and recreates the feeling of friendly congregation at a neighbor’s garage.
The Second Floor is an elevated Italian restaurant, focusing on intimate seating, refined finishes and private gathering space for larger dining groups.
The Third Floor is a sleek rooftop bar, the first of its kind in this City, with a large patio oriented toward the Cumberland River and the sunset.
Framework for Design Excellence Narrative
- Integration - The site is the former home of a Gulf Gas Station, a local fixture to the community and the project makes many references to its predecessor with the design of the first floor restaurant being garage inspired and displaying personal collectible automobiles. It also displays photography of the old gas station and relics of Gulf products.
This building orients the user to look beyond and engage in the surroundings. It is first done by large openings towards the redeveloping historic urban district which includes views of historic churches and buildings but also a view of the descent into the Cumberland River and the agriculture plateau beyond. It provides the unique experience of appreciating the transitional development of downtown while also admiring the beauty of rural Tennessee. This encourages the user to explore places beyond Shelby’s Trio, whether by the walkable proximity to the historic district or by a visit to the riverside park.
Lastly, the products selected were chosen in homage of the native and historic materials of this area. Brick, warm wood, and continual operable openings at each level that guests can engage with a range of palette and experience the building in a variety of ways. The design of the building also was done in such a way to maximize outdoor views and natural lighting into the dining spaces, as well as provide the opportunity of outdoor dining if so desired via operable windows, rollup doors, or collapsible window-wall systems.
- Economy - The new concept one-stop, three restaurants experience is designed for flexibility in the future.
The first- and second-floor restaurants have their own kitchen and back of house support. The third floor rooftop bar is conveniently serviced by the main floor kitchen. All three levels are connected by two separate public and service elevators. This extends the building’s longevity by allowing adaptability for future tenants.
Space is available to reserve for events and meetings and has been widely utilized by the community in its first year of service. \n This building has already had a large impact to the downtown economy as the historic district is entering a revival and being redeveloped with a recently opened arena, renovated hotel with shopping district, and a performing arts center. Shelby’s Trio has helped promote exploration of the historic urban district and help encourage other entrepreneurs to grow the local economy.
- Well-Being - Shelby’s Trio prioritizes the user’s experience – whether a guest or an employee.
Glazing covers much of the east, south, and west facades and installed in a combination of fixed clerestory windows, operable window-walls, roll up doors, and other fixed windows and at a height that provides consistent natural light deep into the dining space. Artificial lighting is used sparingly and as focal pieces in the dining space.
The operability of the windows allows patrons and employees to adjust the thermal comfortability of the space as needed. \n Seating arrangements on all three zones are designed to provide a variety of options from large groups to solo visitors for those who wish to spend time outside or prefer indoor cozy booth seating.
All back of house spaces are relegated to the same zone, limiting any mechanical noises, kitchen noises or exhausts, etc. into the public realm. The kitchen space was designed in such a way to streamline communications between kitchen staff and servers and expediting orders to tables.
LEED/Green Certifications
Photo Captions
1. Sketch of Shelby’s Trio
2. Site Plan and surrounding downtown area context slide.
3. Building modeling and section indicating cantilevered roof profile, outdoor patio awning, operable window units and materials.
4. Night image illustrating the three levels with different venues as well as its position high above the Cumberland River Basin and adjacent to surrounding developments.
5. Upper cantilevered monoslope roof form orients toward the new MPEC (left) while the lower classic car display garage roof form projects toward the redeveloping vehicular intersection.
6. Night photo illustrates the variety of programming for each floor and each venue – the rooftop patio lounge offers views of the Cumberland River basin and adjacent entertainment developments, middle level is the most formal with only visual connection to the outdoors, and the lowest having a casual shaded wraparound porch dining condition.
7. Sample photography of the first level restaurant which focuses on a variety of seating options and paying homage to the owner’s love of cars.
8. A perspective into the variety of dining spaces on the first level.
9. The wraparound porch dining at the first level restaurant.
10. The 2nd Floor Italian Restaurant interior offers warm natural detailing to establish a comfortable fine dining atmosphere.
11. Design Solutions Magazine Summer 2023 edition, published as Award of Excellence for AWI certified interior woodwork.
12. The 3rd Floor interior and exterior offers an open plan interior bar-lounge and a rooftop open air patio accessed through bi-folding glass doors and roll up garage doors. Note the view of the river basin and existing Hotel to be renovated very soon.
13. Black and white aerial imagery of third floor rooftop patio. This is the first rooftop patio to be building in Clarksville, Tennessee.
14. Aerial sunset view with the Cumberland River in the background.
