Winner, 2001 Pinnacle Award

Before May 2000 the Downtown Center was a barren space that was primarily for cars and a transfer station for buses. The space was made more attractive by the wonderful mural honoring Bristol as the Birthplace of Country Music. Yet, it was only truly enlivened when musicians played on the stage in front of the mural.

Now the mural and the downtown have a park/plaza landscape that welcomes picknicking, lounging, music making, and festivals. And it is a much more pleasant place to catch a bus. The new landscape provides the mural a much more appropriate and respectful context, one which will help catalyze Bristol's efforts to be recognized as an important place in the development of country music.

The project was designed working closely with city officials and citizens and in collaboration with architect John Easterling.