The Lyric at Norton Commons mixed-use development prioritizes accessibility and smart land use under the surrounding TND’s precise architectural guidelines. The design faces the challenge of ensuring street-level retail connection despite elevation changes with the integration of a 5-level pre-cast parking garage.
The site’s elevation change is solved by using hidden splits within the building structure, allowing the design to respond to grade changes internally while preserving a unified exterior. This solution allows for the use of affordable wood structure construction, a key benefit that results in significant cost savings.
Multiple courtyards are designed to serve as resident gathering areas, each with a unique vibe. The connective links between them provide ample opportunities to turn what could have been irregular spaces into amenitized positives that could only be achieved with this site. For example, by leveraging the elevation shift on a connection walkway between two courtyards, we created a residential theater with elevated stadium-type seating in a space that otherwise would’ve remained unused.
The Lyric at Norton Commons is the result of adaptive thinking and thorough structural coordination between our design team and consultants. Its success is a testament to the strong partnership with our outstanding Client, Bristol Development, who was willing to turn the challenging site into a community that will have a lasting impact.
