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Architect Chosen for Conservation Hall Project

9/22/2006

The Tennessee Residence Foundation today announced its selection of Memphis-based architectural firm archimania p.c. to design a new Conservation Hall, which will be built on the grounds of the Tennessee Residence in Nashville. This marks another step toward completion of a four-phase project, initiated by Governor Phil Bredesen and First Lady Andrea Conte in 2003, to restore and preserve the historic property.

While the major emphasis of the project is the key repairs and improvements of Phase I, Phase II brings added accessibility and functionality to the residence through the Conservation Hall. Presently, large gatherings cannot be accommodated inside the home. The Conservation Hall will provide new meeting facilities, a commercial kitchen and enough space to accommodate 160 seated guests, providing a long term solution to the state’s need for space to handle large groups.

“I’m pleased to announce we’re taking yet another step toward our goal of preserving and restoring this cherished property,” Conte said. “Phase II of our project will help us meet a critical goal in our restoration efforts, which is ensuring that generations of Tennesseans to come will have access to the Residence and enjoy opportunities to create their own memories at this historic place.”

The process for selecting architectural firms brought together architectural and design experts from across the nation. In June, interested design teams submitted a Statement of Qualifications to a selection panel whose members included Marleen Davis, a professor and former dean at the University of Tennessee’s College of Architecture and Design; Ed Feiner, a Washington-based architect who created the Design Excellence Program for federal buildings and Elizabeth Martin, whose New York firm specializes in historic preservation.

“The Tennessee Residence Foundation worked hard to ensure a high level of expertise and diversity on its selection panel as a way to start the selection process on the right foot,” Feiner said. “The Conservation Hall project is a historic opportunity, and we were committed to making the selection process as open and as thorough as possible.”

archimania in part impressed selection panelists with their commitment to using “green design,” ecologically friendly design practices that will minimize the facility’s impact on its surrounding environment.

“All the firms presented impressive applications and brought different assets to the table,” Davis said. “Ultimately, archimania impressed us with their passion for the project, a commitment to using a sustainable energy design and a sensitivity to the historic character of the residence.”

archimania, an award-winning firm founded in 1995, is known for its use of raw, non-traditional and simple materials, as well as color and lighting, to create unexpected design effects. Barry Yoakum, a University of Tennessee graduate, and Todd Walker, a Mississippi State University graduate, will lead the design project.

“This is a monumental, once-in-a-lifetime project,” Yoakum said. “We’re ecstatic to be part of a team that will create architecture that demonstrates Tennessee’s progressive spirit while honoring its rich history.”

The design and construction of the Conservation Hall will be privately funded though the Tennessee Residence Foundation, a 501(c) 3 organization with a mission to provide for the preservation, protection, maintenance and enhancement of the artistic, historic and architectural value of the public and formal areas of the Tennessee Residence.

In January 2003, Andrea Conte made restoring and preserving Tennessee’s Residence a priority issue for the Office of the First Lady. Ten months later, she and Governor Bredesen unveiled a plan that had been developed for restoring the residence that would provide contemporary updates while preserving the historic integrity of the house and property.

Tennessee’s Residence, originally referred to as “Far Hills” because of its beautiful view, was built in 1929 by the William Ridley Wills family, and was purchased by the state of Tennessee following the death of Mr. Wills in 1949. The third and only remaining Governor’s Residence in the state, it has hosted numerous events and celebrities during its 55 years as the state’s Executive Residence. The house has been visited by famous people such as the Reverend Billy Graham, Elvis Presley, President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy, President and Mrs. Lyndon Johnson, President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan, and numerous governors and royalty from around the world.

To make a donation to the restoration, or for more information about the project, please call the Office of the First Lady at (615) 741.7846. To make an online donation, go to www.tnanytime.org/exres/.