May. 27, 2025
Three Johnson Architecture projects have earned 2025 East Tennessee Preservation Awards – the firm’s new South Knoxville headquarters, Historic Kern’s Bakery and the Historic Vose School in Alcoa – all in the Preservation Merit Award category.
The awards are presented annually by Knox Heritage and recognize excellence in historic preservation in a 16-county region. This year’s winners were celebrated at an event on May 22 at The Emporium, aligning with Preservation Month. The Preservation Merit Award recognizes the rehabilitation of architecturally significant buildings. This year, six awards presented this year, with three of them for projects designed by Johnson Architecture.
“We are deeply honored to be recognized with East Tennessee Preservation Awards for our efforts in preserving these local sites,” said Daryl Johnson, founder and president of Johnson Architecture. “Kern’s Bakery has been an iconic landmark in our community for nearly 100 years and now has a brighter future, welcoming new generations. Our entire team gets the benefit of a restored century-old building, which now serves as our headquarters. The Vose School, which opened in 1918, is a historically significant site.”
Johnson Architecture provided master planning and architectural design services for Kern’s Bakery, reimagining more than 70,000 square feet to become Kern’s Food Hall, where visitors can shop, dine and gather. The space celebrates the building’s rich history by preserving the original Art Deco design and other key elements while incorporating modern features.
The Johnson Architecture design studio at 2018 Davenport Road in South Knoxville holds a rich history. Constructed in the 1920s, it previously housed Advance Metal Fabrication and has served various industrial and storage purposes over the decades. The site was in severe disrepair and is now a modern and functional workspace for the Johnson Architecture team, while showcasing and preserving the building’s original industrial aesthetic.
The third Preservation Merit award recognized the restoration and transformation of the Historic Vose School into four residential units in Alcoa. Construction began in 1916 on the Vose School, which became the oldest schoolhouse in Blount County and one of the first schools in the county to have indoor plumbing and electricity. After sitting vacant for decades, the property fell into disrepair. Johnson Architecture partnered with Reagan Design and Construction to create a reimagined floor plan that maintained the sense of space of the original four-square school rooms and expansive central hallway.
“New designs are exciting, but I think historic preservation and reuse projects are the ones that reside in our souls because they’re so important to the fabric of our community,” Johnson said. “We’re so appreciative for the opportunity to have a role in bringing these historic places back to life and protecting them for the future.”
To learn more about these projects by Johnson Architecture, please visit jainc.com.
About Johnson Architecture Inc.
Founded in 1994, Johnson Architecture is a full-service design firm offering planning, architectural and interior design services for a variety of facility types. The JAI team has members who specialize in commercial, education, healthcare, residential, tourism, restaurant and spiritual developments of all sizes. Notable clients include Covenant Health, DENSO, Dollywood, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Knox County Schools, Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation and The University of Tennessee. For more information, visit jainc.com.
