The 3 projects which sought to modernize Downtown Knoxville
Downtown Knoxville has always been an important part of East Tennessee. But Downtown Knoxville wasn’t always on the cutting edge of modern design. So, in 1957, a group of local business owners created the Downtown Knoxville Alliance (DKA), an advocacy group whose goal was to “promote the downtown district as
The Modernist Fraternities of University of Knoxville, Tennessee
In 1965, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) decided that it was time to upgrade their Greek life. The school proposed a Fraternity Park, complete with 13 new frat houses…all designed by local architects. The frat houses were designed around a common property that included streets, sidewalks, parking, and recreation areas.
Bon-Air Motel by Painter, Weeks & McCarty
Structure: Bon-Air MotelLocation: Gatlinburg, TennesseeArchitect: Painter, Weeks & McCarty, Bruce McCarty (associate)Date: 1953Story: Gatlinburg, Tennessee has always been known for its motels. Long ago, in the 1950s, motel owners were local families, working to profit off of the ever-increasing amount of travelers headed to the Smokey Mountains. 1950s motels were uniquely designed,
The Horizon Homes of Tennessee
Enough of this ephemeral stuff, let’s be concrete! In the 1960s, house construction was booming. New housebuilding materials, many created for WWII, were making their way into the hands of house builders. The Portland Cement Association (PCA) saw this as an opportunity to bolster their trade. They created the Horizon Home
Tennessee Valley Bank by Painter, Weeks & McCarty
Structure: Tennessee Valley Bank, Chapman Highway BranchLocation: Knoxville, TennesseeArchitect: Painter, Weeks & McCartyDate: 1955Tidbit: In 1956, Georgia Tech’s School of Architecture held an exhibit called A Half Century of Architectural Education. The exhibit featured 72 buildings (selected from over 500 entries) designed by school alumni. Three Tennessee buildings were featured in the