Two transformative alleyway proposals will be built in downtown Chattanooga this month. The proposals are part of Passageways, a program designed to reimagine alleyways as a place for public use and enjoyment. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Tennessee and River City Company are presenting Passageways.
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In late spring of this year, an international call was released to architects, designers, and artists to propose transformative alleyways ideas that could be in place for up to one year and foster community use. Nearly 70 submissions were received, with 24 international submissions from places like China, Japan, India, and Brazil, 19 submissions from around the U.S., and 23 submissions from Tennessee teams.
“The caliber and breadth of the submissions we received made the job of the juries, which included both a local stakeholder group and a panel of architects from the US, difficult,” said Jared Hueter, chairman of the AIA Tennessee Convention, co-director of Passageways, and architect at Cogent Studio in Chattanooga. “These installations will provide something very special to our city.”
The selected winners and the location of their installations in Chattanooga are “Stage Genies,” a soundscape installation that will detect movement and respond with sound at 715 Market Street, and “Grass Garden Inversion,” a suspended network of bamboo at 720 Cherry Street.
Alleyways will also be built in New York City and Sydney, Australia.
The winning installations will be unveiled to the public on Wednesday, Aug. 24 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Party in the Passageways. This event is free and open to the public. Partygoers will stroll through the alleyways enjoying music, a performance by the Chattanooga Ballet, and interactive art projects. Local beer from Odd Story Brewing Company, Hutton and Smith Brewing Company, and Chattanooga Brewing Company will be featured in the alleyways along with light hors d’oeuvres from The Bitter Alibi and seating from CBI Chattanooga. The party will begin in Miller Plaza. Tickets can be secured at partyinthepassageways.eventbrite.com.
“The kick-off event will be a first in many community-centered events to happen in the Passageways spaces,” said Amy Donahue, director of marketing and communication for River City Company. “River City is committed to programming these spaces for up to a year to show how they can be community hubs downtown.”
In addition to River City Company and AIA Tennessee, Passageways partners include The Benwood Foundation, The Lyndhurst Foundation, Cogent Studio, Causeway, Mozilla, the National Science Foundation, Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union, and ArtsBuild.
Source: River City Company