Work
\
Firm

About Us

Our Approach

Recognition

People

News

Blog

Careers

a Blur and a Blast

By David Cockrill Year one of the new firm was both a blur and a blast. The merger and new moniker have been very well received. Apprehension was quickly replaced by acceptance of our [...]

In time for Veterans Day – November 11th, 2012

By Margaret Backhurst I heard on the radio this morning that an original member of the Tuskegee Airmen of the 99th Fighter Squadron, Col. Herbert E. Carter, died yesterday at age 93. The African-American [...]

Best Wishes to the Sunsphere’s New Tenant

By Bill Vinson On the thirtieth anniversary of the Knoxville World’s Fair it was good to see the recent news report that the Sunsphere is once again occupied and operational. During the years, it’s [...]

Red Chair Recieves AIA East Tennessee Merit Awards

We were honored to have 2 of our schools recognized at the 2012 AIA East Tennessee Design Awards. Morrison and Dibrell Schools both received an Award of Merit. A special thanks to the Warren County [...]

CSCC Technology Center Addition Dedication

By Bill Vinson Cleveland State Community College dedicated its new Technology Center Addition last week. The new addition consists of mechanical, electrical and architectural upgrades to 11,000 square feet of the existing 47,181 square foot facility. These upgrades will allow for expanded capabilities [...]

PSCC Strawberry Plains Grand Opening

By Bill Vinson Don Shell recently congratulated Dr. L. Anthony Wise Jr., President of Pellissippi State Community College, at the grand opening of the Strawberry Plains campus. Red Chair Architects has been involved [...]

An Architecture Geek’s Love of the Olympics

By Sean Martin Okay, I admit it. For my entire life – from the time I was a little kid up to this very minute – I have never enjoyed watching sports. Shocking, I [...]

Buildings Can Create Community Pride, Instill Confidence and Bring Hope for a Better Future

By Don Shell From my reflections on the celebration events of the 30th anniversary of the Sevierville Community Center, I couldn’t help but compare my experience with that of Jorn Utzon, the architect of [...]

We Shape Our Buildings, and There After They Shape Us

By Don Shell Last week, the Sevierville Community Center celebrated its 30th year anniversary. I was honored to have an opportunity to participate in this historic event and to represent Community Tectonics (now [...]

An Evening Well Spent – Community Design Center‘s Downtown Tour

By Bill Vinson, President My wife Dotty and I have been attending the Community Design Center’s annual downtown tours for years. This year Red Chair Architects was a sponsor and we kept our office [...]

Remembering the 1982 World’s Fair

If the phase “the good old days” is ever appropriate, it would seem that the time preceding and during the 1982 World’s Fair would certainly apply for a young architect in Knoxville, Tennessee. There was [...]

Architecture’s historic tie to Religion

Jeffery Howe, an historical expert on American religious architecture, estimates that “there are over 2,600 different religious groups in North American today.” While some might argue Howe’s figures, few would disagree that there are as [...]

We love our Old City home!

The first Friday of this month was a big milestone for all of us at Red Chair Architects – it was the day of our move into one office. Since the official merger in January, [...]

What inspired me to be an architect?

By David Cockrill, AIA, LEED ap This is the question that was posed to me in hopes of getting a deep, in-depth career plan starting at birth . . . truth is, it just didn’t [...]

Red Chair Architects & UT’s 5th Year Midterm Review

Last week, representatives of Red Chair Architects (event sponsors) attended the AIAETN and University of Tennessee College of Architecture and Design’s “5th Year Midterm Review” at the Foundry in Downtown Knoxville. Each year during the [...]

Sustainable Design for Healthy Schools

Last week, two project managers from Red Chair Architects attended the USGBC East Tennessee High Performance & Healthy Schools Symposium. U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a nonprofit organization that sets standards and provides education [...]

Red Chair Design Has Got Game

Design that’s got game, you say? Great design is at the core of Red Chair Architects. Here’s what we mean by that. For us, design is an attitude: a lens through which we view [...]

Sweating the Small Stuff: It’s What Quality Architecture is All About

by Bill Vinson, President I’ve often wondered how Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) would have fared in today’s business climate. Most are aware of his design reputation and have seen his inventive structures. But [...]

What the CT Legacy Brings to Red Chair Architects

by Don Shell AIA – Chairman of the Board In 1970, the year I joined Community Tectonics, the main office for the firm was located in the basement of our founder’s home in the [...]

Come Have a Seat, and Let’s Create Something Together

By David Cockrill, CEO, Red Chair Architects It’s not every day that business owners with established, successful practices step back and take the time to explore a new paradigm and then swiftly adopt and execute [...]

An incredible start with an exceptional team and a high-impact brand…

…that was January 3 for the new Red Chair Architects team. Employees of the former Community Tectonics and Cockrill Design & Planning gathered yesterday afternoon for the first time at what will be [...]

Red Chair Architects Formed by Cockrill Design & Planning and Community Tectonics

Knoxville-based firms unite to create dynamic new Tennessee design practice Knoxville, Tenn. – Knoxville-based Cockrill Design & Planning and Community Tectonics announced today the merger of their firms to form Red Chair Architects. [...]