Chris
Pyle Portfolio


RESEARCH


FABRICATION (WIP)


I am a fourth year student at the University of Tennessee within their Bachelor of Architecture program. 

Currently, I am working as a research assistant with Professor Mark Stanley on researching speculative futures in the Oak Ridge region and am a part of Space and Building Fabrication for the College of Architecture and Design at the university.
My current interests are in urban planning and urban zoning and how to make city’s better for the future through the use of architecture. Programs that have helped me with this have been working with the Civic Design Center during my study abroad in Nashville and using various GIS software to analyze and act. Other interests include the creation of handheld fabrication models and scene building in various render software. 
# - (615) 651-1409
Email - chris.pyle74@gmail.com
Instagram - @archpyle
Resume
LinkedIn

CONNECTING WEHO
Nashville, TN
Urban Planning
2024
Partners; Emma Kirby (ekriby9@vols.utk.edu)
                   Hannah Kirby (glg172@vols.utk.edu)
                   Audrey Reddick (areddic1@vols.utk.edu)         










































Software Used: Rhino 7, Adobe Creative Cloud, ArcGIS, Grasshopper, V-Ray, Enscape This project addresses the design challenges of creating a dynamic, connected, and livable community within a fractured urban fabric. Situated in Nashville’s Vine Hill area, the 40-acre site faces disconnection caused by interstate infrastructure and hard street edges, isolating the affordable neighborhood at its center. Browns Creek serves as a natural connection along the site’s edge, tying it to the northeastern side of the city.
My focus is the southeastern corner of the site, a pivotal "knuckle" area for circulation and transit exchange. This hub connects Wedgewood Avenue to the north and Craighead Street to the south, providing a critical entry point into the development. The design prioritizes a balance of transit accessibility, green spaces, and mixed-use housing to buffer the neighborhood while fostering urban connectivity.
The greenway, running directly through the site, offers residents and visitors access to public greenspace, seamlessly integrating with housing, retail, and transportation infrastructure. A roadway at the site's rear accommodates bus and car traffic while maintaining separate walkways and bike paths along the greenway for safety. A central parking garage and transit hub anchor the design, facilitating movement to key destinations, including the soccer stadium, entertainment district, and retail spaces.
The program emphasizes mixed-use housing, with retail at the base of each housing block and townhomes emulating the scale of adjacent affordable housing. Apartments near the transit hub connect via pedestrian bridges, offering views of the entertainment district. The density and intensity of use decrease as one moves north, creating quieter, more residential zones along the greenway.
Key features include:
  • Transit Hub and Circulation: The light rail and BRT station form the heart of the site, with a 1,000-foot pedestrian platform feeding directly into housing and retail areas.
  • Mixed-Use Housing: Retail-lined housing blocks, apartments, and townhomes create diverse living options, promoting live-work opportunities.
  • Pedestrian-Friendly Design: Greenways, walkways, and bike paths prioritize safety and ease of movement, minimizing car interactions.
  • Integrated Views and Connections: Building orientations create vistas toward downtown, the entertainment district, and the soccer park, enhancing connectivity and spatial flow.

Isometric views highlight the site’s layered design, showcasing the transit hub, greenway integration, and vegetative buffers along the affordable housing district. Perspective sections reveal the interplay between housing, retail, and transit, with activations along building faces to screen larger structures and enhance the pedestrian experience.
This project transforms the Vine Hill neighborhood into a vibrant hub for connection, circulation, and opportunity. By addressing transit needs and fostering urban exchange, the design reimagines Wedgewood-Houston as a dynamic, inclusive, and sustainable community.