Tennessee Chapter of American Society of Landscape Architects
Presents State Awards
MEMPHIS, TN --- Tennessee Chapter of American Society for Landscape Architects (TNASLA) met in Memphis on April 8th and 9th for their annual state conference and awards ceremony at the Halloran Centre.
The conference featured keynote speakers: Torey Carter-Conneen, CEO National ASLA speaking about the future of landscape architecture; Richard Roark, FASLA, Partner at The Olin Studio who spoke about innovative design on the Memphis Waterfront; and Dacquiri Baptiste, VP Orpheum Theatre Group, Sophorn Kuoy Olsen and Rachel Helton of LRK who discussed the master plan for the Orpheum.
Other topics included:
· Plantings of Glasgow in Germantown with Roy Diblik, author of The Know Maintenance Perennial Garden and Spence Ray, Developer and President of McNeill Commercial Real Estate;
· Landscape Architecture in the field with Michael Hatcher of Michael Hatcher and Associates and Len Lawhon of Northwest MS Community College;
· Carissa Hussong, Exec Director of the Metal Museum, Krissy Buck Flickinger of LRK and Ritchie Smith and Lissa Thompson of Ritchie Smith and Associates discussed the Metal Museum;
· Artificial Intelligence was the topic of MSU professors Simon Powney and C. Taze Fulford III;
· Chandell Ryan, President and CEO of Downtown Memphis Commission discussed Memphis as a cultural moment.
· Conference tours featured the Metal Museum and Memphis Art Museum.
The conference committee was led by Bob Graves, Christine Donhardt, and Michelle Ye.
DESIGN AWARDS
Professional and Student Design Awards were judged by landscape architects from the Nebraska/Dakotas Chapter.
Professional Award Winners were:
· Nelson Byrd Woltz (Charlottesville) - Lakeshore Park (Knoxville) - Excellence in General Design
· Hedstrom Landscape Architecture (Knoxville) - French Broad Veterans Memorial Park (Knoxville) - Honor in General Design
· Ross/Fowler (Knoxville) - ETSU University Commons (Johnson City) - Merit in General Design
· Hawkins Partners (Nashville) - Amazon Operations Center of Excellence (Nashville) - Merit in General Design
· Hedstrom Landscape Architecture (Knoxville) - Modern Mountain Home - Honor in Residential
· WMWA (Chattanooga) - Chattanooga Area Veterans Park - Merit in Analysis and Planning
· Gresham Smith (Nashville) - Kelley's Landing Master Plan - Honor in Analysis and Planning
Student Award Winners:
Several students in the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Graduate Landscape Architecture Program were recognized for award winning projects and plans.
· Muhammad Mahtab - Merit in General Design - Territories of Return
· Jack McCausland - Honor in Communications - Sown Heritage
· Bryce Napier - Merit in General Design - Restitching Appalachia
· Margaret Marando - Merit in Research - HYDROscape
OLMSTED AWARD
This year’s Olmsted Award was bestowed upon Tina Sullivan. During Tina’s 12-year tenure as Executive Director of Overton Park Conservancy, she demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision, and stewardship in guiding one of Tennessee’s most treasured public landscapes. She championed thoughtful planning, community engagement, and long-term preservation strategies that strengthened Overton Park’s ecological health, cultural relevance, and accessibility. Her ability to unite public agencies, designers, donors, and neighborhood stakeholders reflects a deep understanding of the civic and environmental power of the preservation and enhancement of cultural and environmentally significant landscapes.
The purpose of TNASLA’s Olmsted Award, named in honor of the founding father of Landscape Architecture, Frederick Law Olmsted, is to promote the ideals he established to ensure the health and enjoyment of the environment by all mankind. The award is given annually to recognize significant contributions in one of four categories: contributions to the profession in Tennessee, preservation of the landscape of Tennessee, enhancement of Tennessee’s physical environment, or landscape architectural education.
Volunteer Awards for Years of Service on the Executive Committee
Five or more years of service:
· Michelle Ye (Memphis - DT design studio)
· Cameron Yates (Memphis - DT design studio)
· Brandon Doss (Memphis - Blair Parker Design)
· Allen Jones (Chattanooga - Stone Creek Consulting LLC)
Ten years of service:
· Isobel Ritch (Memphis – Fisher Arnold)
· Blair Parker (Memphis - Blair Parker Design)
Fifteen years of service:
· Christine Donhardt (Memphis - The Reaves Firm, Inc.)
Twenty-Five or more years of service:
· Larry Mizell (Nashville - Retired)
Tennessee Chapter of American Society of Landscape Architects is a non-profit dedicated to the advancement of knowledge, education and skill in the art of Landscape Architecture and the promotion of the profession of Landscape Architecture as an instrument of service in the public welfare. For more information visit www.tnasla.org.
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