The Cardon Film Studio project re-imagines commercial design within the urban fabric near the heart of downtown Decatur into a creative user-friendly center for Motion Picture Arts. The design seeks to foster a sense of community among the staff and visitors by encouraging people to convene in a soothing outdoor environment located at the front and center of the building.

We always consider the ecological impacts of any project by exploring ways to incorporate the existing tree canopy into the design. This approach facilitates the preservation of vital trees within the historic landscape and reduction to impact on trees throughout the anticipated construction. While designing the final landscape we chose a native vegetation palette to celebrate and encourage ecological sustainability as well as visually soften the rather large and rigid surfaces.

As the built environment expands its reach around the Atlanta metro area, modern design aims to preserve the ecological quality while also prioritizing urban necessities. This project prioritizes its users by locating the building close to the street and vehicle parking out of plain view. The design supports access to all of its users by incorporating routes and parking for accessibility users, cyclist, and pedestrians, and includes street tree planting to reduce environmental hostility and encourage pedestrian use around the area.

Project received AIA Merit Award – Projects Under 5,000 sf