AIA Tennessee Convention Tours

 

Visit neighborhoods throughout Nashville on one of our six AIA Tennessee Convention Tours.  Read more for details and descriptions for each tour!   Tours 1, 2 and 3 will be held Wednesday, July 30 from 10 am – Noon/central.  Tours 4,5, and 6 will be held Friday, August 1 from 1:30 – 3:30 pm/central. 

Please note – Tours are not included in convention registration and must be purchased separately. Click “Add to Cart” to purchase multiple options, like a convention attendance package AND a tour.  

Tours are limited to convention attendees only.  You must register as a full or two-day attendee.  If you do not, your tour registration will be null/void.  

Wednesday, July 30 from 10 am/central – Noon/central

Tour 1 – East Nashville (Shuttle – Capacity 25)EastNashville

Tanglewood – Russel Street Historic Renovation – Little Green House

This tour will explore some of East Nashville’s hidden Gems.

809 Russell Street is an ornate Queen Anne residence originally constructed in 1899, this structure survived the Edgefield fire of 1916 and the subsequent ups and downs of East Nashville’s fortunes.

Van Pond Architects restored original period details and at the same time integrating sustainable technology.  This project is a wonderful illustration of how new and old systems can coexist allowing historic structures to be environmentally responsible.

Tanglewood is a hidden oasis tucked along a natural stream in the middle of East Nashville.  Home to Henry Romersa and his wife Kathy, the property was designed and built by architect Robert Condra between 1927 and the early 1940s.  This collection of cabins and log homes has been host to countless celebrities and Nashville dignitaries over the years, and boasts architecture and engineering that was ahead of its time.  Today, almost all of the 18 original structures are part of the National Historic Register.

The Little Green House serves as a model for right-sized, sustainable residential development. This example of responsible urban infill, showcases both high design and behind-the-scene green features. Notable sustainable features include: advanced framing, all LED lighting and energy star fixtures, low flow plumbing features, low VOC finishes, passive solar orientation, local and reclaimed materials, native vegetation and rainwater harvesting.

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Tour 2 – Convention Center Campus/SOBRO (Walking – Capacity 25)

Country Music Hall of Fame Expansion – Omni Hotel – Cummins Station Community Gardens

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The area south of Broadway is booming and the stops on this tour are definitely a big part of it. Check out a reclaimed loading dock transformed into the wonderful community garden at Cummins Station. Last year the “hard hat” tours of the Country Music Hall of Fame expansion and the Omni Hotel were. This year no hard hats are required when you tour the finished product of both projects.

The Cummins Station Community Garden transforms a defunct loading dock into a luxurious outdoor amenity and entry court. The 450 foot long space now hosts a wide range of uses from impromptu business meetings and casual lunch conversations to corporate events, concerts and wedding receptions and is home to the Track 13 Art Gallery and artist studios located in 4 renovated train cars. The transformation of the space from eyesore to exquisite leverages the client’s continuous investment in revitalizing the LEED ND-certified Cummins Station campus.

The Country Music Hall of Fame expansion was designed by Tuck-Hinton Architects, and includes 10,000 square feet of new exhibit space, an 800-seat CMA Theater, the Taylor Swift Education Center, a large event hall with an unprecedented view of the downtown skyline, and additional archives, offices and retail opportunities.  The expansion is fully integrated on three levels with the Omni Hotel, designed by Dallas-based HKS along with Earl Swensson Associates.  The complex includes meeting spaces, five culinary and entertainment venues, rooftop urban pool deck and signature spa.  The integration of these two programs allows for shared event rental opportunities.

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Tour 3 – 12 South Corridor (Shuttle – Capacity 30)

Straw Bale House – Sevier Community Center – 12 & Porter

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The 12 South neighborhood is one of the most rapidly-growing and burgeoning neighborhoods in Nashville. Offering everything from boutique shops to numerous food venues, this walkable neighborhood is the place to be and socialize within Nashville. This tour will explore the 12 south neighborhood, including the Sevier Park Community Center, 12th & Porter mixed use complex, and the straw bale house.

MZA designed the renovation and addition of this 1945 brick home which features a straw bale construction addition. Straw Bale construction is a 100 year old building technique that originated in the mid western US. This home is the first in Nashville built using this form of natural building. During the construction the client, Manuel Zeitlin Architects and the contractor, Green Home, hosted a straw bale house building workshop. USGBC Members, students and families worked on the project together stacking bales and applying the clay/lime plaster.

With a limited site footprint, the program of this mixed-use neighborhood infill has a surprisingly dense mix of uses including 7 commercial/ retail units, 4 office units and 14 residential units. Among the commercial/ retail uses are: an art gallery, a restaurant and bar, a Mexican popsicle shop, a small neighborhood grocery store (created by the architects) and a spa, which are all owned by locals in the neighborhood. The office users include an architecture firm, a photography studio, a graphic design shop and an insurance company, also all residents of the neighborhood. Completed in November 2009, all units have sold and are currently being occupied.

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Friday, August 1 from 1:30 – 3:30 pm/central

Tour 4 – Downtown/Urban Core (Walking – Capacity 35)

State Capitol Building – Cohen Loft – ACME (rooftop terrace)

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Downtown Nashville is no longer just a tourist hotspot, but it has also transformed into a swanky place to work, live, and play. Even in the midst of this rapid evolution the urban core has still been able to maintain a historic charm among modern development. This tour will start by visiting the historic State Capitol building that has been operation since 1859. Next you can get a taste of city living at the AIA Tennessee Design Award winning Cohen Building loft. The last stop on the tour will be Nashville’s newest addition to Lower Broadway, Acme Food & Spirits. Have a little fun and enjoy the scenic views from the roof terrace atop this adaptive reuse project.

William Strickland’s 1859 Greek Revival State Capitol is one of the oldest continuously used statehouses in the country and underwent a whirlwind 7-month renovation during the Legislative recess in 2012. From replacing over 50 year old building systems to restoring and replacing architectural finishes all was handled with great care by the Nashville design firm Centric Architecture.

Take a first-hand look at the single family renovation inside the historic Cohen Building located in Nashville’s urban core. The Knoxville based firm Sanders-Pace Architecture completed the unfinished adaptive reuse of the historic 19th century building. Contemporary design and historic character working in harmony contributed to this project receiving an AIA Tennessee design award.

After sitting vacant for nearly 2 decades at the end of Lower Broadway next to the Cumberland River, the Acme Feed & Supply building has been transformed into an “upscale” honkey-tonk by Tuck-Hinton Architects. The historic structure has been repurposed to function as a multilevel restaurant, entertainment and performance venue while maintaining as much of original character as possible. End the tour enjoying scenic views of downtown Nashville and the waterfront from the roof top terrace.

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Tour 5 – Luxury Residence (Shuttle- Capacity 20)

Kohler House (Private residence) – Conservation Hall (Tentative) – The Treehouse (Private residence)

Nestled into a steeply inclined wooded site this addition and renovation to an existing residence provides multi-layered space for both public and private functions. Gilbert McLaughlin Casella Architects designed the addition and renovation to capture views of the site providing the owner with a different perspective of the property. The challenges presented by the site topography and existing structure contributed to making this unique luxury residence.

Get a glimpse inside one of Nashville’s premier residences, the Kohler house. Designed by Woodson Gilchrist Architects, the project deals with the issue of fitting contemporary architecture into “traditional neighborhoods” See firsthand why this project won an AIA Tennessee Design Excellence Award in 2011.

The renovation of the Tennessee Governor’ Residence was led by former First Lady Andrea Conte. Her goals for the project were threefold: to better manage official functions at the Residence; to protect the historical integrity of the property; and to provide energy-efficient operation with minimal environmental impact.  In response to the three goals, the Memphis based firm Archimania developed the idea of an “Un-Building”. The design places an underground gathering space beneath the front lawn of the Tennessee Residence and the project is LEED Gold certified.

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Tour 6 – Germantown + North Nashville (Shuttle/Walking- Capacity 25)

The WAREHOUSE – NEUHOFF – Taylor Place – Corsair

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Germantown and North Nashville was once considered to be just the industrial part of town. Now, it has become another one of the many thriving communities in Nashville. One of the distinct characteristics of this part of town is the amount historic industrial buildings being re-purposed in a concentrated area. This tour will let you see four of those repurposed industrial projects.

The former Neuhoff meat packing plant, an assortment of old pink buildings in the North Nashville neighborhood of East Germantown, totals an astonishing 700,000 square feet. The complex lies on approximately 16 acres of property that fronts 800 linear feet along the Cumberland River. The complex was first built in 1906 and continued expanding until 1950, later closing in 1977. The importance of Neuhoff is in its ability to link the Cumberland River to Germantown. At one point the site was masterplanned by SHoP architects’ Gregg Pasquarelli into a vibrant mixed-use arts and music cultural center. The project was later put on hold due to the untimely passing of one of the building’s owners. However, the spirit still lives on and what will become of the Neuhoff complex remains to be an exciting opportunity for Nashville.

The adaptive reuse of a non-descript warehouse capitalizes on the inherent industrial characteristics of the existing building and the surrounding area to bring an authentic new mixed-use urban concept to the Germantown neighborhood of Nashville.  The complex will be the new home to a gym called Provita, and the Skillery.

Smith Gee Studio is leading the master planning and architectural design for a 14 acre mixed-use redevelopment of a 100-year old industrial site between Nashville’s Germantown and Salemtown neighborhoods. The project blends the old with the new, residents with community amenities and neighborhood patterns with industrial forms while tying two long-divided neighborhoods together.

The shuttered Marathon Factory was languishing in weeds and neglect when urban visionary Barry Lyle Walker recognized its potential and bought it in 1986. The project started with one building then other buildings were purchased that had been built at different periods of time throughout the car company’s existence. The oldest, as well as the only two-story building was built circa 1881. Most of the other buildings were built between 1881 and 1912. Since then, Walker has overseen development of his Marathon Village into a 4 block complex of artists’ and photographers’ studios, offices, radio station, fitness center, music venue with retail and restaurants.

Register Now

 

 

 

 

Please note – Tours are not included and must be purchased separately. Click “Add to Cart” to purchase multiple options, like a convention attendance package AND a tour.  

Tours are limited to convention attendees only.  You must register as a full or two-day attendee.  If you do not, your tour registration will be null/void.  

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