In Nashville, Tennessee, the fourth residential building in the U.S. by Dasha Zhukova, founder of Ray, has broken ground. Ray Nashville will be built in the city’s fashionable Pie Town neighborhood. It was designed by Johnston Marklee & Associates and follows other projects by Ray in Philadelphia, Harlem, and Phoenix.
Ray Nashville will rise 32 stories and encompass approximately 575,000 square feet. It consists of an attractive Miesian tower that sits atop a podium where retail, an art gallery, and public/private parking will be sited.
The modernist grid, the architects said, will have a tinted blue hue that mimics the surrounding context. “Nashville’s expansive Tennessee skies and temperate climate inspired our design,” shared Sharon Johnston, cofounder of Johnston Marklee & Associates.
A Dynamic, Modernist Grid
“The prismatic building form and order of the deep, gridded facade conveys a contemporary sensibility with a timeless expression. Blue-tinted glazing mirrors the surrounding ascendant neighborhood in a dynamic interplay of transparency and reflection,” Johnston continued. “The porous tower sculpts light, with an atmosphere transmuted by the sun through the seasons, beginning at the street level through a glazed awning and storefront. This generous, pedestrian-scale neighborhood porch frames retail spaces within and echoes the gentle, sloped roofs of churches, gabled sheds, and historic Nashville landmarks, such as the 1902 Arcade in nearby Downtown.”
The building at 601 Lafayette Street will have 367 units. Of the 367 apartments, 150 will be studios, 107 will be 1-bedrooms, 90 will be 2-bedrooms, and 20 will be 3-bedrooms. The flats will coalesce near a large fitness center with outdoor space, a yoga studio, a spa, a sunken conversation pit with a fireplace, a pool, shared kitchens, dog washing stations, coworking space, and other amenities.
Embodying the City’s Culture
On the ground floor of Ray Nashville will be a publicly accessible exhibition space that displays the work of local visual artists, much like Ray’s other ventures. Just beyond the podium will be an expansive streetscape ideated by Grace Fuller Marroquín of Grace Fuller Design.
This exterior area will be lined with street trees and plantings for aesthetic and shading purposes. Residents of Ray Nashville will be afforded short walks to Lower Broadway in downtown Nashville (where Music Row is located) and other retail options in The Gulch.
Amenities at Ray Nashville were designed by New York–based Parts and Labor Design in collaboration with Ray’s in-house design team. VeLa is a development partner, marking their second venture with Zhukova after Ray Phoenix.
Interior units will have excellent cabinetry, modern fixtures and appliances, integrated balconies, storage space, and built-in furniture (at select apartments). According to Danu Kennedy, a partner at Parts and Labor Design, the units boast open layouts, “a soothing color palette, and the integration of materials like red brick, warm woods and leather—a nod to Nashville culture—to make residents feel uplifted and connected.”
Construction is slated for completion in 2027.
