Tennessee's Bicentennial Mall by Kem Hinton Book Release and Signing

About this event

Parnassus Books is pleased to welcome Kem Hinton to celebrate his new book, Tennessee’s Bicentennial Mall, in conversation with Demetria Kalodimos. This event is free, however space is limited so please register in advance.

About the Book

The Tennessee Bicentennial Capitol Mall was dedicated on Statehood Day, June 1, 1996, and over the past twenty-five years it has matured and hosted a wide variety of celebrations, concerts, and educational events. Located directly north of the Tennessee State Capitol, the 19-acre urban setting is part of Tennessee’s state park system, and it is one of Nashville’s most visited public spaces and has received national and international recognition.

Containing additional elements and enhancements added during the past quarter-century, the park has been joined by the completion of two adjacent institutions: the new Tennessee State Museum and the new Tennessee State Library and Archives. These complementary facilities, completed respectively in 2018 and 2021, and suggestions for the Mall and its surroundings in the next decades complete the contents of the book.

In this comprehensive book, lead designer Kem Hinton first shares the story of the State Capitol, the National Landmark designed in 1845 by architect William Strickland and regarded as the most important single building in Tennessee. He next recalls the early efforts to establish a new public park in an underappreciated part of Nashville, a commemorative civic gift that would provide an unobstructed vista of the historic statehouse. This is followed by an explanation of the design process to create within this exterior space an informative outdoor museum about the Volunteer State.

The publication contains illustrations, maps, drawings, and photographs documenting the Tennessee State Capitol, the evolution of Capitol Hill and its surrounding properties, the lackluster development of land north of the statehouse, and the design and construction of the $59-million urban park.

It further contains professional images of the Bicentennial Mall when it was first dedicated as well as those taken up to the present day by many of the state’s most talented photographers, including John Guider, Robin Hood, Slick Lawson, Dean Dixon, John Schweikert, and Bob Schatz.

Pre-order here!

About the Author

Kem Hinton, FAIA, was the lead designer of the Tennessee Bicentennial Capitol Mall. Eighth generation Tennessean, he was born in Nashville and raised in nearby Murfreesboro. Kem received the Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Tennessee and the Master of Architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. In 1984, he joined with Seab Tuck in the founding of Tuck-Hinton Architects, and their firm created award-winning structures in Nashville and the surrounding region. In 2019, he established the studio of Kem Hinton Design.

Kem is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, and in 2019 he received the AIA Tennessee William Strickland Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2021, he was appointed to the Tennessee Historical Commission. Kem resides in Williamson County with wife Marilyn.

Registration

Please register for this event in advance here. For additional details please contact (615) 953-2243.