HomeMy WebLinkAboutHDC2020-015coverletter6/09/2020HDC 2020-0151414 PARK LANEgüsdesign cooperativeDavid Anderson
1001 McMath Ave.
Little Rock,AR 72202
MacArthur Park Historic District Commission
Little Rock, Arkansas
Our proposed new residence at 1414 Park Lane is found South of Interstate 630 along the district
border of East 15th Street, the southern edge of the designated historic district. This proposed project
sits at a chopped up Park Lane dead end, with our residence lot directly
adjacent to the Highway Dept owned land on the South side of the Interstate. This hard scape urban
thoroughfare that began its segregation of downtown neighborhoods in the 1960s has been both a
benefit and detriment to the development of LR's residential and commercial downtown fabric. Our
proposed residence sits in between the border of a wonderful historic district and a massive highway
system, separating it physically and socio-economically from the rest of its original overlay area. The
block in which we are located is half empty, with a couple residences on the eastern side, and zero
remaining structures on the western half. Park Lane was dead ended at our proposed project and the
block across the street to the East is also empty.
Our concept for this new residence is to blend the historic brick warehouse typology and modern loft
style living in urban areas into a new 2 story brick residence at the edge of a major infrastructure slice
through downtown. Given that the client is a circuit judge, he asks for safety and security at his home,
as well as a place to display his art collection. With large open interior spaces and ample amounts of
large glass windows along and around the length of the residence, the goal is to create a home that
feels well protected from any and all elements, while providing a substantially illuminated living space
that has expansive views from the second floor overlooking the interstate to the north and east towards
MacArthur Park.
We looked at a few buildings in and around the area in particular to try and provide a contiguous pattern
of design within this district. We referenced the violin shop at 11th and Rock, and discussed the building
that used to stand next to it, brick, flat roof w/ parapets and store front windows. The "zig zag"
apartments at 15th and Commerce, The Hoover Methodist Church that used to be the Repertory
Theatre, 11th and McMath, the Fish Factory at 13th and Scott, the Charles Apartments, two story brick
building 10th and Cumberland, and the cluster of brick buildings at 9th and Rock where Stones Throw
Brewing is located.
A few of the goals with designing this brick residence is to express the raw structure and detailing while
hi-lighting their beauty in simplicity and urban contextual relevance. As we have developed our design
further, we have steel plates, rough sawn exposed cypress beams, steel angle sheer supports, and
re-claimed wood and brick siding where applicable.
A few elements that should be called out at this point include multiple artistic and sculptural installations
such as a water fountain in or around the entry courtyard, lighting that adds beauty and materiality at the
human scale in contrast to the brick.
We hope that you find our proposed project to be a respectful adaptation of urban building design and
look forward to constructing in this neighborhood. Thank you,