Marble Hall earns preservation award

Sandra ClarkOur Town Leaders

As 2018 wound down, Knox Heritage recognized several important projects. Among them was Johnson Architecture’s adaptive reuse of Marble Hall at Lakeshore Park, which earned the firm the East Tennessee Preservation Award.

The Lakeshore Park board and landscape architect Ross Fowler hired Johnson Architecture to reimagine the historic structure. “We are grateful to be recognized by Knox Heritage for our part in designing the next life of this beautiful and historical site and hope it serves our community well for years to come,” said Daryl Johnson, founder and president of Johnson Architecture.

Pictured at the awards presentation are Danielle Hemsley and Emily Haire of Johnson Architecture and Todd Morgan of Knox Heritage.

Johnson Architecture’s design opened the 3,367-square-foot former chapel while preserving its frame and enhancing its architectural elements amid the landscape. The design maintained the exterior marble cladding, wooden frame and ceiling, cupola and intricate rose window. In addition, the design includes new, adjacent public restrooms and a new 1,008-square-foot Marble Hall Pavilion, which features materials reflective of its counterpart.

Marble Hall was originally constructed in 1958 as a chapel for Eastern State Psychiatric Hospital, later renamed Lakeshore Mental Health Institute, and is one of the few remaining buildings on the property from that era. Following the closure of the institute in 2012, the state of Tennessee conveyed the property to the city of Knoxville for recreational purposes. Lakeshore Park now draws thousands of visitors annually.

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