Latest News & Press Releases
THE MERCER
Merit Award (Unbuilt), assemblageStudio
Architecture Las Vegas June 2007
This three-story multi-family condo dwelling doesn't just take on Las Vegas' suburban stucco, the Mercer also makes a statement against the city's shiny vertical madness. It's a "creation of a modern sense of living in an environment of high-rise glass structures and low-rise Mediterranean". The architect's low-slung contemporary design makes a food argument in both cases, as the condos, out west at Tropicana Avenue and Grand Canyon Drive, comfort several under-addressed possibilities of Las Vegas living. Design is a priority inside and out at the Mercer, yet-in a city where cutting-edge residential architecture often equals a $5 million house in the hills-it will ultimately be "attainable to the service workers of this community". (The one-bedroom units start at $229,000.) Some of the qualities of the Mercer should be considered common-sense architecture by now, but they still come across as bold statements: creating a sense of community with outdoor spaces (helped by a mixed-in 12,000 square feet of retail) "oversized street walking edges," and cross-ventilation through each unit from the shady courtyard. Inside, the design offers the framework for true urban-style living, with high ceilings, built-in workspaces, track lighting, full length windows and open living areas that are oriented to make the most of natural light.
Judges' comment:
"This project demonstrates that housing intended for the service workers of this community can be a social and aesthetic asset in the urban setting. While the program seems to have dictated density at the expense of more ground space, the architect has skillfully portrayed a modernist design of dignity and delight."