Tempo by Hilton
Large Project (over 25,000 sf)
The Tempo by Hilton in downtown Nashville offers travelers a welcoming experience inspired by the city’s history and a fictional rising music star.
Awards Year | 2024
Project Statement
The Tempo by Hilton in downtown Nashville offers travelers a welcoming experience inspired by the city’s history and a fictional rising music star. The 16-story, 306-room Tempo by Hilton reimagines arrival with a story we all wish had happened. We mourn the loss of iconic architecture and charming old theaters. We dream of more tales where budding artists achieve lifelong aspirations. This hotel fulfills those wishes through the story of our muse, Mary Louise, and the events of March 3, 1973. That evening, the Grammy Awards were held at the Tennessee Theater, the only time in the awards we held in Nashville, TN. The narrative follows Mary Louise winning her first major music award and celebrating her breakout moment.
The project is very deliberate on its massing and presentation to the street condition. The arrival sequence had to be specially choreographed due to the tight urban site utilizing a jump lobby to effectively fit all the required program pieces for the primary main lobby located 5 floors above street level. The building façade seeks to be honest in representing the program which it serves: deep recesses at the building’s base to accommodate arrival, tessellated metal panels indicating where the structure parking resides, expansive glass clearly defining the main check-in lobby and meeting spaces, and lastly more human-scaled window openings for the guest rooms.
It was deliberate for this project to borrow from the city’s past to more seamlessly integrate the story of Nashville of old into what Music City is today. The notes that were borrowed from the historic Sudekum Building play into how this building seeks to be a “handshake” of what the city has forgotten. It’s an integration that is important to telling the story of our muse: Mary Louise. Guests, as well as the general public, are encouraged to take in great views of the city as well as dine in the restaurant located adjacent to the check-in lobby on the 5th floor. The welcoming atmosphere at the streetscape is intending to bring anyone up within the building offering another avenue of well-being and placemaking. Ultimately, the grandness of the 5th floor lobby becomes an impactful moment for all users as a moment of discovery where great efforts were made to create a large, column-free volume to organize the public components of the hotel.
Framework for Design Excellence Narrative
Integration - Building upon the legacy of the historical Sudekum Building, the Tempo Hotel aims to pay homage to architectural detailing and create a sense of place where once stood a glimmering essence of entertainment and rhythm of the night’s limelight. The urban design approach anchored by a unique base arrival sequence drew inspiration from the golden marquee glow welcoming guests and artists to a night never forgotten. As attention to detail is spent on Grammy Awards attire, additional detail was developed for a shimmering aluminum panel system to create a woven gown that changes as the pedestrians, sunlight and traffic lights engages the surface.
Well Being - Integrated into an urban fabric of high activity, the building creates multiple opportunities for engaged patrons to experience night life at their own pace. Amenity areas are incorporated on the periphery for easy access to dining communal areas with a focus of interior architectural design with both warm and inviting spaces for those seeking refuge from a long day and higher energy amenities with design details from a 1970’s art deco living room bar for those seeking entertainment. Natural lighting is strategically located on amenity levels along lounge areas and flexible spaces for events and entertainment. Additional effort has been incorporated within the guest room design to allow for maximum daylighting within a deep urban environment to create a warm ‘Mary Louise Character’ style living room feel. The Tempo by Hilton brand also accommodates in room stationary bicycles and the program boasts a 2,000 SF fitness facility.
Discovery - The true moment of discovery for the project revolves around our organizing wayfinding element located on the 5th floor. The elevated lobby allows for a greater amount of contiguous space and most all of the hotel program centers around it. Around the lobby, meeting space (both indoor and outdoor) total approximately 3,000 SF. The receptions desks immediately greet all guests to the hotel after exiting the elevators and the lounge space is flanked by a restaurant. Pinwheeling around the 5th floor from the restaurant is a large communal bar top that spills to an outside terrace overlooking the hotel’s pool. These spaces would otherwise be impossible to have connections with one another on the ground floor due to limited contiguous space and the large amount of high-rise service spaces required at grade level.
LEED/Green Certifications
Photo Captions
2 - A Tribute to March 3, 1973 in Nashville. This new construction on a former parking lot pays homage to the demolished Sudekum Building and its iconic Tennessee Theater. The design weaves in elements from the old theater's marquee and art-deco details, capturing the essence of a pivotal night in Nashville's history as guests arrive in a space that echoes the warm glow of the past.
3 - Echoing the vibrant energy of 1973, this hotel offers a dynamic urban experience. Guests are welcomed under marquee-style lighting reminiscent of the old Tennessee Theater, with black metal bands guiding them to the elevated lobby. Situated five floors above the bustling streets, the lobby provides stunning city views and centralized access to guest amenities.
4 - Paparazzi Panels: Reflecting the glamour of a GRAMMY Awards arrival, the gold panels on Tempo by Hilton shimmer by day and glow softly by night.
5 - Inspired by traditional marquee lighting, the panels not only create a dazzling entrance but also address the challenge of ventilating the above-grade parking garage with their bent and perforated design, combining aesthetic appeal with functionality.
6 - A Glamorous Arrival: Tempo by Hilton masterfully spans an active alley, featuring a gold marquee, black-banded glazed bar, and dramatic cantilever. The design balances grand presence along Rosa L Parks Blvd with a seamless blend into the historic scale on 9th Avenue.
7 - Creating Mary Louise: Throughout Tempo by Hilton, details pay homage to the fictional Mary Louise, from her living room to her GRAMMYs. Guest corridors feature oversized photographs capturing key moments in her life, making each guest feel welcomed into her world.
8 - Entering from the porte-cochère, guests are greeted in Mary Louise's glamorous entry foyer, featuring 1970s-inspired decor. The journey to the 5th floor lobby transforms into a more residential and hospitable ambiance, echoing her personal style.
9 - An Entry Experience: Beneath the paparazzi marquee panels, guests are welcomed to Mary Louise’s after party, with access to a corner coffee bar and top golf. Elevators lead up to the 5th floor lobby and Mary Louise’s living room.
10 - Mary Louise's living room features art deco and 1970s-style furniture, reflecting her unique tastes.
11 - Mary Louise’s dining and lounge areas offer a stylish escape for private conversations and collaboration, showcasing her unique flair and glamour.
12 - Featuring an outdoor pool and lounge, elegant décor above the banquet area, and lighting in the prefunction space reminiscent of the 1973 Nashville GRAMMY stage backdrop.
13 - Guestrooms capture Mary Louise’s essence with vibrant wall art and a color palette inspired by Downtown Nashville, while bathroom décor features gold records celebrating her album success.
14 - The hotel’s exterior reflects the glamour and energy of Mary Louise’s world, with its striking design and vibrant details capturing her essence and legacy.
