The Nashville Civic Design Center would like to congratulate 
Adam Brown of Steve Clark and Associates, Inc., winner of the Nashville 2054 Design Competition. 

Jack Becker, president and CEO of Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, Sandra Duncan, Public Art Program Manager, and Author Christine Kreyling, served as judges for the competition. Each entry was judged on artistic merit and execution of illustrating five of the Ten Principles of The Plan of Nashville: Avenues to a Great City. The competition was created as one of the many events during the past year that serve to celebrate the Fifth Anniversary of the release of The Plan. Artists were asked to envision what Nashville may look like in the year 2054, 50 years after The Plan of Nashville.

Adam Brown, a landscape architect with Steve Clark and Associates, Inc., submitted the winning entry, a painting illustrating a city that celebrates the Cumberland River, utilizes alternative forms of energy, such as wind power, and provides a interconnected greenways as part of a complete transportation system.

Second place was awarded to the entry submitted by Michael and Hilary Kahnle, which addressed a particular area of Nashville that is part of the Cumberand Riverfront Redevelopment. Judges were impressed with the innovative vision expressed in this entry; unique in its approach of focusing on a smaller specific area.

The winning entry was chosen because of its big picture vision of future Nashville, juxtaposed against the entry's artistic reference to aerial Nashville drawings from 50 years ago. The content and technique connected the past to the future. In addition, SC&A's descriptive essay enhanced the viewers understanding of their entry as well as the importance of the 10 Principles in The Plan of Nashville to our city's future growth.

The winning entry received a framed print of Phil Ponder’s latest skyline, “NashvilleAdventure,” and will be presented with a $1000 prize at the Urban Design Forum on March 18. Second prize was awarded $250.

The Finalists

Giro Gabayoyo
Daley Smith 
Mike and Hilary Kahnle
Adam Brown

      

The Model City of Beauty and Function
Giro Gabayoyo

Nashville shines and smiles as it reaches the top; becoming the most livable and greenest city in the nation. Overall quality and balance of life mark Nashville as the role model city. 

Nashvillians live, work, and enjoy life, soaking up what the city offers. Nashville’s beauty lies in its natural environment, valleys, and surrounding hills showcasing the inner beauty of the city. The Cumberland River flows through the city providing fresh water, fish, flora, and fauna flourishing on the river banks. Water sports and other group forms of recreation are enjoyed by many Nashvillians. Bridges and new infrastructure connect the city and its people, enabling the seamless flow of traffic and communication. Interconnected greenways and path systems are utilized and cherished. The downtown district pulsates economically 24/7. Business and residential life mix and mingle where music, art, and tourism are a big part of the downtown scene. Old, new, and contemporary public structures in architecture were respected and preserved for a hometown Nashville identity. 

In addition, Nashville has its own global community; the Nashville Farmers Market sets the scene as an entrance to the world. People with diverse ethnic backgrounds enjoy the homegrown produce, exotic shopping experience, and authentic foods right in their own back yard. The utilization of the City healthcare systems by the Metropolitan school and Educational Systems has once again proven that Nashville truly is the “Athens of South.” Safety, peace, and order have been achieved and improved. 

The continued commitment and strong community effort of all Nashvillians over the past fifty years has enabled the city of Nashville to achieve the balance and quality of life other cities only dream of.

Daley Smith

The crisp, cool morning air awakens me as I head out to work. The daily ride into work each morning continues to remind me of how happy I am to live here. As I ride by the river, I like to pause on the bridge and watch the sun kiss the waking skyline. The city beams to life as more and more people begin their trek to work.

I take pride in living in Nashville. Looking back, I wonder why it took so long to get here. The materials were before us all along. The developments over the past fifty years simply embraced what has always been here: the river, the hills, the views, the people, and of course, the music. We have had a recipe for success the whole time.

Growing up in Nashville, I have always run into visitors who rave about how much the love the people of the city. Everyone is so inviting and friendly. This strong sense of community that visitors have been able to embrace is now reflected in the physical structure of the city.

It began with the river. By respecting Nashville’s natural and built environment, a thriving, newly energized cityscape emerged. The riverfront transformed while important civic structures began to reappear, and this helped guide people through and around the city. The greening of streetscapes helped to strengthen sightlines to and from civic landmarks and natural features. By uniting the city’s iconic structures, spaces, riverside communities, Nashville’s canvas started to grow and bring surrounding areas back into the city. The influx of neighboring communities helped to bring a human scale back to city life and helped stimulate Nashville’s vitality and growth.

The Cumberland River, which has always been central to Nashville’s identity, was sitting, waiting to be embraced by the people of Nashville. A new comprehensive, interconnected greenway and park system helped to not only connect both sides of the river, but also created an integrated means of travel throughout the downtown. The new pathways helped to reestablish the streets as the principal public space of community and connectivity.

Nashville has a renewed sense of life. The developments over the past fifty years have made people more aware of their environment and their ability to interact with their environment. The city’s transformation has carved out new pathways for people to see and experience the city. This refreshing new way to explore the city is reflected in the city’s rapid pulse and vibrant energy. As I ride to and from work along the river, I am able to see something new everyday, and I am continually reminded of the beautiful community here.
 

Off Ramp: A NASHVILLE MEMORIAL THAT COMMEMORATES THE END OF THE AUTOMOBILE AGE
Mike and Hilary Kahnle

Respect Nashville’s natural and built environment: Off-Ramp create both direct and indirect connection between our selected project site and the Cumberland River by means of visual linkage and by a physical one. Also, Off-Ramp uses the skyline as a backdrop and a main focal point. It is a dramatic and dynamic vista that will continue to change over time.

Treat the Cumberland River as central to Nashville’s identity – an asset to be treasured and enjoyed: The Cumberland River, and the desire to connect to it, is the overriding concept for Off-Ramp. Off-Ramp spans the Cumberland River, overlooks it, embraces, and celebrates the river.

Reestablish the streets as the principle public space of community and connectivity: Off-Ramp takes back existing highway roadways and returns them to the citizens of Nashville and in doing so, breaks down that barrier. We’re taking the northern-most bridge of I-24 E and converted it into a linear park, while renovating the southern bridge (I-24 W) to be a two-way freeway bridge over the Cumberland River.

Provide for a comprehensive, interconnected greenway and park system: Off-Ramp is a key park asset and destination. Not only would it be tied with the Riverfront Master Plan through Cayce Landing, but it would be a great park space allowing people to enjoy in a variety of different ways and throughout the year. From walking, to sitting and talking, enjoyment of the city vistas, outdoor music venue, museum, art gallery, etc: Off-Ramp is unlimited in its possible uses.

Raise the quality of the public realm with civic structures and spaces: Off-Ramp takes existing pubic right-of-way and returns it to the public realm by the conversion of roadway to park. We think that is a very interesting prospect. Additionally, the design is so compelling, we believe that it would be nationally recognized bringing a greater emphasis of the public realms and park spaces.

Integrate public art into the design of the city, its buildings, public works and parks: Off-Ramp is a civic art installation. The park is a giant piece of art that one can experience in all dimensions. What once was a symbol of the interstate climax (where no pedestrians would dare to go) now is part of the public realm with civic structures and spaces. Not only that though. Off-Ramp is also a park space. In addition, one could conceive that the entire inner ring of highway, when converted to parkway, contain a linear park system that encircles the city in its entirety.

Infuse visual order into the city by strengthening sightlines to and from civic landmarks and natural features: Off Ramp uses several important landmarks, including the Cumberland River, Downtown Nashville, and the Capitol Building. Off-Ramp faces downtown Nashville and uses it as a backdrop. And, Off-Ramp emphasizes its connection to the Cumberland River by virtue of allowing the public to be in close proximity and access.

Adam Brown

Being visionary is not a new concept for Nashville. 50 years ago, Nashville aspired to be the first major city in the United States to form a metropolitan government. The current administration has set the goal of becoming the greenest city in the southeast. Although Nashville has grown significantly over the past 50 years, what’s in store for our city over the next 50 years may prove to be even more significant.

Respecting Nashville’s natural and built environment is paramount for future growth to be successful. Development must meet the needs of the present without compromising our finite resources. This is illustrated in the painting through the incorporation of many of the most successful energy and transportation alternatives. Sustainable building practices implementing green roofs, solar/wind/hydro-electric power, underground parking with community gardens and public space above are just some of the built environment elements portrayed.

As Nashville grows, alternative modes of transportation become increasingly important. The commuter rail shown demonstrates a serious mass transit opportunity, but we must look further. I envision the Cumberland River not only as central to Nashville’s identity but also as a means for developing new transportation routes. By incorporating marinas and canals into the urban core (as illustrated), we begin to answer the alternative transportation question. Through the use of water taxis and shuttles, we are expanding our options as residents to enjoy our downtown via waterway.

In addition to the importance of alternative modes of transportation, aesthetic revitalization and creation of our streets and sidewalks greatly influences the human experience of our city. In order to reestablish the streets as the principal public space of community and connectivity, an emphasis will be put on traffic calming, pedestrian connectivity and aesthetics. This is illustrated by introducing more round-a-bouts, boulevard streets with on-street parking, identifiable crosswalks, and street trees. By incorporating more comprehensive guidelines and incentives into the Development Code now, we assure the future success of our city streets as quality physical connections for vehicular and pedestrian circulation.

By developing a comprehensive, interconnected greenway and park system we not only put a premium on quality of life, but on environmental stewardship. Through redevelopment of the existing rail system into a greenbelt around the city, we create opportunities for linking the city, public spaces, streets, neighborhoods and Cumberland River with the public.

Through implementation of these goals and principals, we help to grow our city into an economically viable downtown district. The mixed-use and single family development in the foreground of the illustration depicts this by providing centrally located retail and residential opportunities; connecting business and residents with walkable access to parks, greenways, markets, downtown and Cumberland River. As well as the inclusion of the light rail system and water taxis to allow for larger numbers of people to get downtown without overburdening our streets.

Although these ideas are great and set the stage for future growth, it’s important we remember that success almost never comes from great ideas alone. Success comes from a basic idea executed amazing well. It’s up to us to make sure future generations accomplish these goals.

The finalist entries can also be viewed in the offices of the Nashville Civic Design Center, 138 Second Avenue North, Suite 106.