CLOVER BOTTOM MASTER PLAN, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
The Department for Mental Retardation Services (DMRS) Clover Bottom Developmental Center campus situated on 150 acres consists of the Clover Bottom Residential Facilities, as well as the offices for the DMRS Administrative Staff of the Middle Tennessee Region. The Master Planning Study for the campus assessed the needs and requirements of the existing Middle TN DMRS program, along with the site constraints in order to obtain a cohesive and cost effective plan for the campus. Following the inspection of existing facilities, interviews with over twenty-five Middle TN DMRS agency personnel, space needs analysis and programmatic development, the design concept of the new Middle Tennessee Regional Office Building for DMRS is a model based on maximizing the site development potential of the entire Clover Bottom campus.

The design concept embraces the rolling hills and expansive vistas of the site as an amenity to enhance employee satisfaction. Open, flexible floor plans allow daylight to penetrate the occupied spaces and allows for easy departmental reconfiguration. Additionally, the program and design of the facility not only allows for maximum flexibility, group interaction, ample daylight, outdoor accessibility, and simple circulation patterns that promote daily natural rhythms, but it recognizes the importance of life-cycle costs and efficient, effective building.