October 3, 2025
Johnson Architecture earned two awards from the American Institute of Architects’ East Tennessee chapter for new housing construction for Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC) and a design project for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina.
“It is always an honor to be recognized by our peers for our vision and efforts,” said Daryl Johnson, founder, president and director of design of Johnson Architecture. “We understand the importance of both building for the future and honoring the past, and I congratulate every team member for their skill and commitment to these projects.”
Johnson Architecture received the awards at the AIA East Tennessee Design Awards Gala held Oct. 2.
The Kituwah Interpretive Mound in Bryson City, North Carolina, earned a Citation for Architecture in the Unbuilt category for the design of a space to honor the original Cherokee Mother Town mound and to respect the longtime history of the area.
The designed Kituwah Interpretive Center comprises two open-air structures for a classroom and pavilion joined by a courtyard. Given its location within a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) floodplain, the center is designed to be “breathable” with materials that can allow and withstand flooding events.
KCDC’s 105-unit First Creek at Austin Phase 1A earned a Citation for Architecture in the New Construction category. The residential development became a catalyst for revitalization in East Knoxville and the city’s first mixed-income, affordable housing community.
First Creek at Austin has earned multiple awards, including Keep Knoxville Beautiful Orchids Award for New Architecture, 2023; Tennessee Housing Development Agency Tennessee’s Best Award for Neighborhood Stabilization, 2024; National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) Award of Merit, 2024; Urban Land Institute (ULI) Nashville Excellence in Development Award, 2025; and Urban Land Institute (ULI) Nashville Rose Faeges-Easton Community Impact Award, 2025.
The submissions were evaluated by a distinguished jury panel led by Chair Mark Sanderson, FAIA, and including Matthew Kreilich, FAIA, Claire Weisz, FAIA, and Elizabeth Whittaker, FAIA.
