Chattanooga Design Studio

02/19/2026

One week away from CIVIQ with Bridget Marquis!
Thursday, February 26, 2026
“Doors Open” at 5:30 PM, EST at the Public Library (Downtown Branch)
Learn more and save your seat at: www.chattanoogastudio.com/civiq

02/04/2026

Join us Thursday, February 26, 2026 for CIVIQ with Bridget Marquis!
“Doors Open” at 5:30 PM, EST at the Public Library (Downtown Branch)

Get your (free) tickets here!
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/chattanoogadesignstudio/event/civiqwithbridgetmarquis/

Bridget A. Marquis is the director of Reimagining the Civic Commons, a national initiative demonstrating that strategic investments in public spaces can connect people of all backgrounds, cultivate trust and create more environmentally and economically resilient communities. She manages the national Civic Commons Learning Network, housed at U3 Advisors, providing coordinated learning, impact assessment and storytelling across eleven U.S. communities.
Learn more about Reimagining the Civic Commons here:
https://civiccommons.us/

01/29/2026

📅 Save the Date for CIVIQ with Bridget Marquis!
"The Power of the Commons"

Thursday, February 26, 2026, 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm, EST

Bridget A. Marquis is the director of Reimagining the Civic Commons, a national initiative demonstrating that strategic investments in public spaces can connect people of all backgrounds, cultivate trust and create more environmentally and economically resilient communities. She manages the national Civic Commons Learning Network, housed at U3 Advisors, providing coordinated learning, impact assessment and storytelling across eleven U.S. communities.

01/12/2026

You may know that the Chattanooga Area Regional Transit Authority (CARTA) operates a free shuttle that serves downtown, the North Shore, St. Elmo, and the Incline Railway. The current route was developed in the early 1990’s and beyond the recent addition of the North Shore Express, it has remained relatively unchanged since that time. CARTA is “re-imagining” the shuttle routes and service and needs your help! Whether you are a daily user of the shuttle of have never hopped on for a ride, CARTA wants to hear from you!

Please see the attached graphic that includes a QR code and a clickable link to an interactive map and a survey. If you have specific ideas to improve the shuttle, the interactive map will allow you to drag and drop pins to locations and provide ideas and thoughts to improve service. Also, in the lower right corner of the map is a button that will take you to a short survey, requiring only about 5 minutes of your time. Also, it would be great if after taking the survey, you share this e-mail with friends, family, and co-workers as well.

As a community, we have an opportunity to improve how the shuttle benefits residents, businesses, and visitors alike. Thank you for taking the time to help “re-imagine” how the CARTA shuttle can best serve our community !

12/23/2025

The holiday season can be a time of reflection, as one year ends and a new one begins. An alternative to doom scrolling: Visit our website to see the recently added Design Studio Retrospective pages. The history of urban design making positive strides in quality of life in Chattanooga is extensive. Hope you enjoy this catalogue of hundred of stories!

The Design Studio offers a civic focus in an architectural education remotely with the University of Tennessee School of Architecture.

12/01/2025

Don't forget--CIVIQ this Thursday with Kim Trent, Executive Director of the National Preservation Partners Network!

Historic Preservation is a critical tool for building successful and vibrant communities in the 21st century. Kim Trent brings more than a quarter century of experience in crafting preservation solutions by bringing together development professionals, government officials and non-profit preservation organizations to work cooperatively for the benefit of all involved. The result has been not only the preservation of historic places. It has also attracted millions of dollars in private and government investment that proves historic preservation is a good investment in communities across the county.

Kim Trent led the growth of Knox Heritage from a small non-profit with no staff and few resources into one of the most effective preservation organizations in the country. Through her knowledge, interpersonal skills and passion, she established Knox Heritage as a nationally-recognized preservation leader. She transformed Knox Heritage’s preservation efforts from vocal opposition into a proactive, win-win approach that builds on relationships with business, governmental, and community leaders to achieve mutually beneficial solutions. She is also an effective advocate for preservation as a driver of tourism and economic growth. Kim has led a number of restoration projects that have leveraged millions of dollars of public and private investment in the community. From private homes to landmark buildings downtown, her work on these projects has resulted in millions of dollars in investment in East Tennessee’s economy. Under her leadership, Knox Heritage expanded its work to cover the 16-county Knoxville region.

Get your (free) tickets here!
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/chattanoogadesignstudio/event/civiqwithkimtrent/

11/13/2025

Join us Thursday, December 4th at 5:30 PM at the Library for CIVIQ with Kim Trent!

Historic Preservation is a critical tool for building successful and vibrant communities in the 21st century. Kim Trent brings more than a quarter century of experience in crafting preservation solutions by bringing together development professionals, government officials and non-profit preservation organizations to work cooperatively for the benefit of all involved. The result has been not only the preservation of historic places. It has also attracted millions of dollars in private and government investment that proves historic preservation is a good investment in communities across the county.

Kim Trent led the growth of Knox Heritage from a small non-profit with no staff and few resources into one of the most effective preservation organizations in the country. Through her knowledge, interpersonal skills and passion, she established Knox Heritage as a nationally-recognized preservation leader. She transformed Knox Heritage’s preservation efforts from vocal opposition into a proactive, win-win approach that builds on relationships with business, governmental, and community leaders to achieve mutually beneficial solutions. She is also an effective advocate for preservation as a driver of tourism and economic growth. Kim has led a number of restoration projects that have leveraged millions of dollars of public and private investment in the community. From private homes to landmark buildings downtown, her work on these projects has resulted in millions of dollars in investment in East Tennessee’s economy. Under her leadership, Knox Heritage expanded its work to cover the 16-county Knoxville region.

Learn more about Kim here:
kimtrentpreservationstrategies.com/

Get your (free) tickets here!
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/chattanoogadesignstudio/event/civiqwithkimtrent/

09/29/2025

Today we were delighted to take a tour of Downtown's new Waymark Hotel, also known as the former Chattanooga Building! Built between 1927 and 1929, the building was designed by local architectural legend R.H. Hunt as an office tower for the Chattanooga Savings Bank and Trust. We are excited to see this Classical Moderne Art Deco masterpiece having new life breathed into it and its downtown surroundings after decades of abandonment. Rumor has it that there will not only be a new and scenic rooftop bar, but a speakeasy style bar in the old vault!

09/26/2025

We hope to see you at CIVIQ next Wednesday, October 1st!

"Nature Remixed: Reimagining Community and Biodiversity"
CIVIQ with Richard Roark
Hosted by Chattanooga Design Studio & Thrive Regional Partnership
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Barrelhouse Ballroom
1501 Long St, Chattanooga, TN 37408

5:30-7:00 pm
Always Free, All Welcome

Chattanooga Design Studio thanks the Lyndhurst Foundation for seeding and funding CIVIQ: A Series Honoring Robert Taylor.

Richard Roark
Chief Purpose Officer, OLIN Studios

Richard Roark is OLIN’s Chief Purpose Officer, a landscape architect, and a certified planner dedicated to creating ecologically resilient and socially just public landscapes. His work transforms places once contaminated, neglected, or—as he describes them—“cast off” and “left behind,” into environments that are not only visually compelling but also healthier and more equitable.

Among the projects he will present are the American Embassy in London, the 51-mile Los Angeles River Master Plan, Hunts Point in the Bronx, and the Infrastructure Plan for the communities of Caño Martín Peña in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Each illustrates how design can repair ecological systems while strengthening community life.

A partner at OLIN, an internationally recognized landscape architecture, planning, and urban design studio, Richard holds master’s degrees in both Landscape Architecture and Community Planning from Auburn University. His practice centers on reinvigorating the public realm, advancing equity, and expanding opportunity for all. His leadership has been recognized widely, including the American Society of Landscape Architects’ 2020 Award of Excellence in Urban Design for Philadelphia’s Dilworth Park.

Get your (free) tickets here!
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/chattanoogadesignstudio/event/civiqwithrichardroark/

09/16/2025

Join us for CIVIQ Wednesday, October 1st!

"Nature Remixed: Reimagining Community and Biodiversity"
CIVIQ with Richard Roark
Hosted by Chattanooga Design Studio & Thrive Regional Partnership
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Barrelhouse Ballroom
1501 Long St, Chattanooga, TN 37408

5:30-7:00 pm
Always Free, All Welcome

Chattanooga Design Studio thanks the Lyndhurst Foundation for seeding and funding CIVIQ: A Series Honoring Robert Taylor.

Richard Roark
Chief Purpose Officer, OLIN Studios

Richard Roark is OLIN’s Chief Purpose Officer, a landscape architect, and a certified planner dedicated to creating ecologically resilient and socially just public landscapes. His work transforms places once contaminated, neglected, or—as he describes them—“cast off” and “left behind,” into environments that are not only visually compelling but also healthier and more equitable.

Among the projects he will present are the American Embassy in London, the 51-mile Los Angeles River Master Plan, Hunts Point in the Bronx, and the Infrastructure Plan for the communities of Caño Martín Peña in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Each illustrates how design can repair ecological systems while strengthening community life.

A partner at OLIN, an internationally recognized landscape architecture, planning, and urban design studio, Richard holds master’s degrees in both Landscape Architecture and Community Planning from Auburn University. His practice centers on reinvigorating the public realm, advancing equity, and expanding opportunity for all. His leadership has been recognized widely, including the American Society of Landscape Architects’ 2020 Award of Excellence in Urban Design for Philadelphia’s Dilworth Park.

Get your (free) tickets here!
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/chattanoogadesignstudio/event/civiqwithrichardroark/

08/15/2025

Strap on your jetpacks! In our final trip to the future of Montague Park, we end our journey with a flyover of the entire park. We begin our flight on the southern end of the park looking northwest, where we soon descend to get a better view of the athletic fields. Descending further as we turn to the north, we see the extent of the Polk Street improvements and the Civic Edge.

We turn to hover over the expansive Great Lawn and outdoor gathering area that connects to a series of open lawn galleries carved out of native meadow and drifts of woodlands. From there we get an overview of the Sculpture Fields, with many recognizable sculptures shown from above. As we circle around and fly south, we are given a full view of the Heart’s immersive and wooded ridges, play valleys, and bridge crossings with the athletic fields beyond. And finally, we end our journey touching down in the center of the Great Lawn, looking up at Peter Lundberg’s iconic “Anchors” sculpture.

*Sculptures shown are place holders, final sculpture locations to be determined in coordination with Sculpture Fields at Montague Park.