THE CHALLENGE: Create a working living environment targeted towards Knoxville communities and those in need of a housing solution. Do this by choosing a line of work to take place in the retail side and assign this to either the lower or upper floor of a 40’x40’ building. All spaces must be ADA code compliant.

THE PROGRAMS: Residential (three bedrooms, two bathrooms minimum, living and dining, kitchen, study space, storage) Retail (product display, check in and cash wrap, break room, manager’s office, restrooms, and all other spaces needed for chosen retail)

THE DESIGN: This project features a two-story, split-level space where employees can step from residency into a biophilic gym right next door. Forterra Fitness is genuinely "for the Earth" and focuses on sustainability by balancing human interaction with nature. Eco-powered machines convert human exertion into energy that powers all electricity within the building, aiming to reduce our carbon footprint. Individually organized PODs present an alternative to the stereotypical gym lined with treadmills in a singular, concentrated space. Instead, these cellular, privatized spaces allow you to target each body system in one harmonious way. Skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, and respiratory functions are balanced just as the space balances living and working, mental and physical health, and humanity with nature.