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Also in Chattanooga, but perched in a far more dramatic setting, is the award-winning Hunter Museum of American Art, designed by Randall Stout Architecture Inc. and Derthick, Henley & Wilkerson Architects.

This addition to a venerable institution reflects its cliff-top setting with undulating roof forms winging above the Tennessee River 80 feet (24 meters) below. The architects describe the forms as "a contemporary interpretation of the rock outcroppings and strata within the cliff." Contributing to this dynamic exterior is a material palette of glass and aluminum curtain wall, oxidized zinc cladding, and a stainless steel roof.

The wavy-roofed entry seems to salute the adjacent 1905 mansion that is central to the museum complex. Inside, the new design solves longstanding functional problems of access, circulation, and accessibility. The awards jury described the new addition as "a logical progression of the architecture of the existing structures, adding to the city's repertoire of spatial typologies."

Another Award of Excellence went to Middle Tennessee State University Sports Hall of Fame in Murfreesboro, designed by Tuck Hinton Architects to showcase the school's sports history. The jury said: "within the simplicity of the overall composition there is a complexity and vibrancy in the execution of the interior spaces... The layers provide additional richness and subtlety."

Red Deluxe, by archimania, is a 4,000-square-foot (370-square-meter) office space for a progressive Memphis advertising agency. The architects aimed for a design that would be "tough, refined, subtle, and yet not so subtle." The jury enjoyed the project's "...clear spatial relationships complemented by a rich material palette and integrated lighting. The interior deals with space and form, not just surface and color."

Frederic Schwartz Architects and Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon Inc., with lighting consultant Domingo Gonzalez Associates, reinvigorated Nashville's historic Shelby Street Bridge with dramatic new lighting. This is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world and provides the city with an important recreational transit corridor and a popular destination. The new lighting emphasizes the bridge's steel structure and has created an new icon for Nashville.

Another award-winning restoration was Knoxville's historic Tennessee Theatre, executed by McCarty Holsaple McCarty Architects Inc., in association with Westlake Reed Leskosky. The architects renovated and expanded the downtown landmark to serve as a 21st-century performing-arts venue. The jury appreciated that the restoration "...brings back the vibrancy and dignity of the original building... and promises to be a great contribution to the life of downtown and the city's main street."

Woodson Gilchrist Architects designed a house for themselves in a challenging setting: a modern house in a traditional neighborhood. They call it a "bungaloft" — a loft with a great front porch. The jury said: "The massing references the neighboring foursquare house and becomes an interpretation of it, not a stripped-down copy."

Also of Merit

The Tennessee chapter of the American Institute of Architects also announced the recipients of nine Merit Awards.

The Civil Rights Collection at the Nashville Public Library, by Tuck Hinton Architects.

Restoration and additions to Sacred Heart Cathedral in Rochester, New York, by Williamson Pounders Architects PC.

Scott Avenue Townhomes in East Nashville, by Everton Oglesby Architects.

Camp Fishlips, Norris Lake, Tennessee, by Johnson Architecture Inc.

Knoxville Convention Center by McCarty Holsaple McCarty Architects Inc. and Thompson Ventulett & Stainback & Associates.

University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Biotechnology Research Center in Knoxville, by Bullock, Smith & Partners Inc. and BarberMcMurry architects.

Ensworth High School in Nashville, by Hastings Architecture Associates and Gund Partnership Inc.

Germantown Court in Nashville, by Dryden Abernathy/ Architecture Design.

Point: Counterpoint — a Conversation with Haviland, Philadelphia, by Tricia Stuth and Ted Shelton

The international jury was chaired by Brian Ambroziak, University of Tennessee, and included Salvatore Canciello, AIA, Sasaki Associates, Boston; Jon Coddington, AIA, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana; and Sigismund Sliwinski, Sliwinski Lenschow Architekten, Berlin.   >>>

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One of the seven AIA Tennessee awards of excellence recipients is the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, designed by Randall Stout Architecture Inc. and Derthick, Henley & Wilkerson Architects. Photo: Tim Griffith The new addition and a 1905 mansion form part of the Hunter Museum of American Art. Photo: Tim Griffith Wave forms continue inside the Hunter Museum. Photo: Tim Griffith Middle Tennessee State University Sports Hall of Fame in Murfreesboro, designed by Tuck Hinton Architects. Photo: Michael Lewis Murals inside the Middle Tennessee State University Sports Hall of Fame. Photo: Michael Lewis Red Deluxe office space by archimania. Photo: Jeffrey Jacobs Photography Lighting Nashville's historic pedestrian Shelby Bridge by Frederic Schwartz Architects, Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon Inc., and lighting consultant Domingo Gonzalez Associates. Photo: Dave Anderson Steel structure of Shelby Bridge illuminated. Photo: Dave Anderson   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.