Chattanooga Design Studio

The holiday season can be a time of reflection, as one year ends and a new one begins. An alternative to doom scrolling: Visit our website to see the recently added Design Studio Retrospective pages. The history of urban design making positive strides in quality of life in Chattanooga is extensive. Hope you enjoy this catalogue of hundred of stories!

Timeline Retrospective — Chattanooga Design Studio The Design Studio offers a civic focus in an architectural education remotely with the University of Tennessee School of Architecture.

Don't forget--CIVIQ this Thursday with Kim Trent, Executive Director of the National Preservation Partners Network!

Historic Preservation is a critical tool for building successful and vibrant communities in the 21st century. Kim Trent brings more than a quarter century of experience in crafting preservation solutions by bringing together development professionals, government officials and non-profit preservation organizations to work cooperatively for the benefit of all involved. The result has been not only the preservation of historic places. It has also attracted millions of dollars in private and government investment that proves historic preservation is a good investment in communities across the county.

Kim Trent led the growth of Knox Heritage from a small non-profit with no staff and few resources into one of the most effective preservation organizations in the country. Through her knowledge, interpersonal skills and passion, she established Knox Heritage as a nationally-recognized preservation leader. She transformed Knox Heritage’s preservation efforts from vocal opposition into a proactive, win-win approach that builds on relationships with business, governmental, and community leaders to achieve mutually beneficial solutions. She is also an effective advocate for preservation as a driver of tourism and economic growth. Kim has led a number of restoration projects that have leveraged millions of dollars of public and private investment in the community. From private homes to landmark buildings downtown, her work on these projects has resulted in millions of dollars in investment in East Tennessee’s economy. Under her leadership, Knox Heritage expanded its work to cover the 16-county Knoxville region.

Get your (free) tickets here!
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/chattanoogadesignstudio/event/civiqwithkimtrent/

Join us for CIVIQ Wednesday, October 1st!

"Nature Remixed: Reimagining Community and Biodiversity"
CIVIQ with Richard Roark
Hosted by Chattanooga Design Studio & Thrive Regional Partnership
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Barrelhouse Ballroom
1501 Long St, Chattanooga, TN 37408

5:30-7:00 pm
Always Free, All Welcome

Chattanooga Design Studio thanks the Lyndhurst Foundation for seeding and funding CIVIQ: A Series Honoring Robert Taylor.

Richard Roark
Chief Purpose Officer, OLIN Studios

Richard Roark is OLIN’s Chief Purpose Officer, a landscape architect, and a certified planner dedicated to creating ecologically resilient and socially just public landscapes. His work transforms places once contaminated, neglected, or—as he describes them—“cast off” and “left behind,” into environments that are not only visually compelling but also healthier and more equitable.

Among the projects he will present are the American Embassy in London, the 51-mile Los Angeles River Master Plan, Hunts Point in the Bronx, and the Infrastructure Plan for the communities of Caño Martín Peña in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Each illustrates how design can repair ecological systems while strengthening community life.

A partner at OLIN, an internationally recognized landscape architecture, planning, and urban design studio, Richard holds master’s degrees in both Landscape Architecture and Community Planning from Auburn University. His practice centers on reinvigorating the public realm, advancing equity, and expanding opportunity for all. His leadership has been recognized widely, including the American Society of Landscape Architects’ 2020 Award of Excellence in Urban Design for Philadelphia’s Dilworth Park.

Get your (free) tickets here!
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/chattanoogadesignstudio/event/civiqwithrichardroark/