06 Nov AIA Middle Tennessee Announces 2026 Design Award Winners, Celebrates Excellence in Architecture
AIA Middle Tennessee Announces 2026 Design Award Winners, Celebrates Excellence in Architecture
Annual awards program recognizes outstanding architecture, honors leaders in healthcare design and civic investment, and celebrates inside Nashville’s new Centennial Park Pavilion
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — AIA Middle Tennessee honored outstanding architectural work, design leaders, and community partners at its 2026 Celebration of Architecture + Design Awards, held October 22 at Nashville’s new Centennial Park Pavilion.
The annual celebration brought together architects, designers, industry partners, and community leaders to recognize projects and individuals demonstrating the transformative power of design. This year’s program honored architectural excellence across Middle Tennessee, recognized a distinguished leader in healthcare design, and introduced a new award celebrating visionary investment in Nashville’s built environment.
The setting was especially meaningful. Held within the new Centennial Park Pavilion, the celebration illustrated how thoughtful architecture, public investment, and community partnerships can create enduring places that enrich civic life.
2026 Design Award Recipients
AIA Middle Tennessee’s annual Design Awards program recognizes outstanding architectural achievement and encourages excellence in the design of the built environment. Selected through AIA Middle Tennessee’s peer jury process with guest jury members from AIA Los Angeles, the 2026 Design Awards recognized projects demonstrating design excellence across six categories: Small Projects, Large Projects, Healthcare Design, Interiors, Residential, and Unbuilt.
The evening’s highest distinction, the Honor Award, was presented to Dryden Studio for Rocky Waters Inn.
HONOR AWARD:
Rocky Waters Inn designed by Dryden Studio
MERIT AWARDS:
- Period 8 House designed by Michael Goorevich, Architect
- Christ Church Cathedral designed by EOA Architects
- Kitchen Addition designed by Michael Goorevich, Architect
- Rock Pavilion designed by Pfeffer Torode Architecture
CITATION AWARDS:
- K-LOVE / EMF – Multi-Media HQ designed by HASTINGS Architecture
- Residences at the Finery designed by HASTINGS Architecture
- The Refuge Center for Counseling designed by Bauer Askew Architecture
- Metropolitan Nashville Fire Department Headquarters and Fire Station designed by HASTINGS Architecture
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD:
Maury County Regional Airport Terminal designed by Lowen+Associates
View the 2026 Design Award recipients and project photography HERE.
Inaugural Nashville Hitmaker Award Recognizes Civic Leadership
A highlight of the evening was the inaugural presentation of the Nashville Hitmaker Award, established by the Nashville Center for Architecture + Design (NCAD) to recognize individuals and organizations whose vision, leadership, and investment make a lasting contribution to Nashville’s built environment.
The inaugural award honored Centennial Park Conservancy and Metro Parks for their collective commitment to the preservation, enhancement, and continued evolution of Centennial Park as one of Nashville’s most treasured public spaces.
Through the restoration of historic landscapes, the stewardship of significant public spaces, and the development of new civic amenities, including the Centennial Park Pavilion, these organizations have demonstrated how thoughtful investment and collaborative leadership can enrich the life of a city.
Presenting the award inside the Pavilion itself offered a particularly meaningful illustration of that achievement.
The Nashville Hitmaker Award reflects NCAD’s commitment to expanding public awareness of architecture and design and recognizing the individuals, organizations, and partnerships that contribute to a more vibrant, connected, and resilient Nashville.
By recognizing leadership beyond the architectural profession, the award underscores the essential role that civic organizations, public agencies, philanthropy, and community partnerships play in shaping the places we share.
Learn more about the Nashville Center for Architecture + Design here.
Lifetime Achievement Award for Healthcare Design Honors Bryan Seely
AIA Middle Tennessee and its Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH) Committee also presented Bryan Seely with the AIA Middle TN AAH Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his lasting contributions to healthcare design and his leadership, collaboration, and mentorship throughout his career.
Selected by a jury of national and local healthcare architects, Seely is the award’s third recipient, joining previous honorees Dick Miller, FAIA, and James Bearden, AIA. Presented every four years, the award recognizes an individual whose career has made a significant and enduring impact on healthcare design in the region.
Seely has spent 26 years with HCA Healthcare and currently serves as Assistant Vice President of Design and Construction. His career has included leadership in the delivery of complex healthcare environments as well as continued investment in collaboration, mentorship, and the professional development of the next generation.
AIA Middle Tennessee issued a separate announcement detailing Seely’s recognition and career contributions.
Celebrating the Value of Design
The 2026 Celebration of Architecture reinforced the important relationship between design excellence, professional leadership, and community investment.
From innovative architectural projects to the stewardship of Nashville’s public spaces, the evening’s honorees demonstrated that the built environment is shaped not only by talented designers but also by visionary clients, civic leaders, and organizations committed to creating places of lasting value.
Through its annual awards program and its growing relationship with the Nashville Center for Architecture + Design, AIA Middle Tennessee continues to recognize outstanding design while encouraging broader public engagement with architecture and its impact on the region.
About AIA Middle Tennessee
AIA Middle Tennessee is a chapter of The American Institute of Architects, representing over 900 members across 35 counties in Middle Tennessee. Through professional development, design recognition, advocacy, and community engagement, the organization advances the architectural profession and promotes the value of thoughtful design in shaping the region’s built environment.
About the Nashville Center for Architecture + Design
The Nashville Center for Architecture + Design (NCA+D) is dedicated to advancing public understanding and appreciation of architecture and design and their impact on our communities. Through exhibitions, educational programs, and community engagement, NCA+D connects the public with the people, ideas, and places shaping Nashville’s built environment. NCA+D works to inspire dialogue, celebrate thoughtful design, and foster a more vibrant, connected, and resilient community.