Inside the Tennessee State Capitol modernization project

Ann McGauran, AIA, NCARB, is Tennessee’s state architect and works for the State Building Commission, which includes Tennessee’s governor and the speakers of its Senate and House. She oversees Tennessee’s 110-million-square-foot property portfolio, working with hundreds of architecture and engineering firms.

In this article, she describes the improvements Tennessee is making to its State Capitol complex, and specifically how architects and designers are modernizing the area while preserving its historic fabric.

Perched atop a limestone bluff overlooking downtown Nashville, the Tennessee State Capitol is a landmark of architectural heritage. Designed by William Strickland and completed in 1859, the Greek Revival structure anchors a civic landscape that has over 150 years of history. 

Today, this iconic building and its surrounding grounds are at the center of a series of transformative projects aimed at preserving its historic integrity while reimagining adjacent spaces for contemporary public life. For the architecture community, these interventions present a compelling challenge: How do we honor the past while designing for the future?

Upgrades that preserve authenticity

Built almost exclusively of stone, the Tennessee State Capitol is one of the few statehouses without a dome. Its temple-like form emphasizes permanence and restraint. Surrounding the building are landscaped terraces, monuments, and pathways that have evolved over the course of decades.

As Nashville’s urban core has grown, the capitol grounds and adjacent War Memorial Plaza have faced pressure to become not just ceremonial spaces but active civic environments. Over time, compromises crept in, like double-hung windows installed during a 1950s renovation, which replaced Strickland’s original casement design. Now, designers are restoring authenticity while integrating modern performance standards.

The new windows aren’t mere replicas—they incorporate high-tech glazing for superior energy efficiency and impact-resistant materials on the first floor for enhanced security. It’s a marriage of heritage and innovation, where 19th-century aesthetics meet 21st-century resilience. 

Above, the roof tells a similar story. The 70-year-old copper roof, weathered by decades of Tennessee sun, is being replaced by pre-patina copper, ensuring a uniform, historically sympathetic finish from day one. Over stone elements that were originally bare, designers are introducing grey metal cladding, creating a subtle contrast that respects the building’s original composition while improving durability.

Creating a civic space

Beyond the building, the State Capitol grounds and adjacent War Memorial Plaza are being reimagined as an inclusive, active, and public-facing civic space. A key focus is improving the porosity of the site—that is, opening the plaza edges into the surrounding urban fabric and creating more intuitive access points for the public. 

The design transforms the plaza into an active public space, introducing dynamic forms and native plantings that encourage interaction and connection. Carefully framed views help guide visitors naturally from one destination to the next, reinforcing the idea of the complex as a single, united civic environment rather than a collection of isolated structures. 

The setup invites pedestrian access to the broader State Capitol campus while also providing visual connection to Public Square Park and the Cumberland River. ADA-compliant pathways and stormwater-management strategies ensure the landscape is as functional as it is inviting. The plaza will become a flexible urban commons—a place where state employees, lawmakers, and the rest of Nashville’s residents can gather safely.

The Capitol Visitors Center

Interior spaces in the complex build on the area’s focus. Currently under construction, the new Capitol Visitors Center below the plaza will embody the shift toward openness and clarity. Conceived as the primary gateway to the entire complex, its architecture emphasizes transparency and invitation, offering a softer, more contemporary counterpoint to the formality of the historic capitol building. 

Inside, circulation is deliberately intuitive, as the layout guides visitors from the entrance to interpretive exhibits to security screening and into the State Capitol without confusion or bottlenecks. The center will showcase the history of the State Capitol while featuring interactive exhibits that demonstrate the democratic process at work there.

Another structure, the new Military Museum, adds a cultural and educational anchor to the many monuments and memorials located throughout the State Capitol complex. Its sequence of spaces allows visitors to experience history as a spatial narrative rather than a static display.

These projects are a case study in adaptive preservation. Every decision—whether about historical accuracy, material performance, historic interpretation, maintainability, or circulation design—balances authenticity with contemporary needs.

The project is proof that historical architecture can evolve without losing its soul. When the work is complete, the State Capitol complex will let history and innovation coexist in harmony. For architects and designers, it offers a powerful reminder that preservation is not about freezing time; it’s about creating continuity. 

Former deputy governor Butch Eley summed that mission up: “Preserving our architecture is not only important for preservation but also ensuring their use and access for all our citizens and visitors. ... Having architects engaged in government helps secure and protect our treasures into perpetuity and is making a measurable difference for generations to come.”

Ann McGauran is a member of the AIA Public Architects Committee, and she is the first woman to hold the role of Tennessee state architect. Over her three-decade-plus career, she has also worked for traditional architecture firms and a private university medical center. 

Centric Architecture, EOA Architects, and HDLA are among the contributors to the Tennessee State Capitol project.

This article is part of a series on public architecture. The first article was by Julia Laue, FAIA, and discusses how public architecture is improving life in San Francisco.