Index - Design200

“Architecture and landscape design…can give a community clarity, coherence, and order, as well as beauty and delight, and can help define a community’s identity and values. We can celebrate places that nurture our living together.”
Author Alice Meriwether Bowsher, Community in Alabama

Design Influencer

Architects Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk are synonymous with New... READ MORE

+

guarnty-federal-savings-and-loan-lewis-communications-williams-blackstock

The former Guaranty Federal Savings and Loan was housed not... READ MORE

+

While Auburn University’s Rural Studio gets plenty of attention, its... READ MORE

+

Inside the historic Lyric and Alabama theaters in downtown Birmingham’s... READ MORE

+

Eighteenth Street South is a traditional main street shopping district... READ MORE

+

Before the wide use of railroads, Gainesville thrived as a... READ MORE

+

According to Guinness World Records, the nonprofit Barber Vintage Motorsports... READ MORE

+

Talk about adaptive reuse. Decatur’s Princess Theatre was originally built... READ MORE

+

Since 1992, the Forever Wild Land Trust has secured more... READ MORE

+

Whether traditional or modern, the best designed sacred spaces evoke... READ MORE

+

“We demand the very best from our clients!” This quote,... READ MORE

+

For years considered the “face of industrial design in Alabama,”... READ MORE

+

As any Tuskegee University alum knows, “Strollin’ down the Ave”... READ MORE

+

Bib & Tucker Sew-Op in Birmingham is keeping the longtime... READ MORE

+

Discovering the best Alabama has to offer takes time, effort... READ MORE

+

Tuskegee: Tuskegee University Chapel Interior

Concerning architecture, Tuskegee University is best known for its Booker... READ MORE

+

Indigo dye is an organic compound that creates some of... READ MORE

+

Bankhead Tunnel is a road tunnel in Mobile that carries... READ MORE

+

The 250-acre Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park offers three venues... READ MORE

+

Alabama is home to the remains of one of the... READ MORE

+

Though best known for its musical legacy, Florence is becoming... READ MORE

+

Auburn University industrial design graduate Hunter Foy has made a... READ MORE

+

For three generations the Yeager family has been doing their... READ MORE

+

The wide overhanging roof of the new two-story Birmingham-Jefferson County... READ MORE

+

A delight for every kid at heart (and who isn’t?)... READ MORE

+

Standard Deluxe is both a graphic design shop that promotes... READ MORE

+

After decades of decline, many historic downtown districts across Alabama... READ MORE

+

Eufaula has one of the state’s largest historic districts with... READ MORE

+

“Someone else can use these things again, I feel like I’m giving them back their purpose.”
Garlan Gudger, referring to doorknobs

Design Influencer

Birmingham lays claim to the largest urban park in the... READ MORE

+

Standing tall at the main entrance of Alabama Power’s early... READ MORE

+

Alabama was not yet a state when the Leroy Pope... READ MORE

+

Though Silicon Valley may be the epicenter of tech companies today, one of... READ MORE

+

The longest hiking trail in Alabama and Georgia is the... READ MORE

+

A turning point in Alabama’s history is the 1965 Selma... READ MORE

+

One of the most hauntingly beautiful cemeteries found anywhere is... READ MORE

+

In her studio adapted from a 100-year-old shotgun house in... READ MORE

+

It’s been proven: well designed schools improve learning and that’s... READ MORE

+

Designed by Williams Blackstock Architects in association with CannonDesign, the... READ MORE

+

Recognized as Alabama’s oldest bank, the Bank of Brewton opened... READ MORE

+

Simplicity is often best in graphic design. That certainly proved... READ MORE

+

There’s plenty to do and see along Mobile’s Eastern Shore... READ MORE

+

Reviews for the Chief Ladiga Trail, Alabama’s first rails-to-trails project,... READ MORE

+

An issue of GQ magazine features a photo of actor... READ MORE

+

Want a close-hand look at rock formation and a lesson... READ MORE

+

It took 18 years for owner and amateur designer Nathan... READ MORE

+

Stone carving might be the world’s oldest three-dimensional art form... READ MORE

+

“Good design, smart planning, creative place-making are all pillars of progressive growth that occurs as part of creative problem solving, taking advantage of opportunities and having an elevated vision for the present and future.”
Al Head, retired Executive Director of the Alabama State Council on the Arts and Alabama Native

Design Influencer

Part of Birmingham’s flourishing beer scene is Steel City Taps,... READ MORE

+

Birmingham’s first city plan in 1871 shows Linn Park as... READ MORE

+

When terracotta is used as a building material, it is... READ MORE

+

Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Bryce Hospital

Built in Tuscaloosa in the 1850s, Bryce Hospital opened in... READ MORE

+

One of the oldest public squares in Alabama is the... READ MORE

+

Alabama Innovation Engine – the name conveys it all –... READ MORE

+

Cullman: Garlan Gudger and Southern Architectural

Vintage architectural treasures – Edison bulbs, ceiling fans and decorative... READ MORE

+

“This is the workshop full of love, information and learning... READ MORE

+

“For me, the idea of a creation is not conceivable without invoking the necessity of design. One cannot be exposed to the law and order of the universe without concluding that there must be design and purpose behind it all.”
Wernher von Braun, engineer

Design Influencer

In Renaissance Europe, “cabinets of curiosities” were rooms that housed... READ MORE

+

Founded by Rachel Lackey as the first community print shop... READ MORE

+

No place fits the proverb “necessity is the mother of... READ MORE

+

When Prattville founder Daniel Pratt opened his cotton gin factory... READ MORE

+

Southern Living magazine calls Magnolia Springs a small town with... READ MORE

+

With its ancient live oaks, cast iron fountain, bandstand and... READ MORE

+

The federally owned Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was created in... READ MORE

+

At Shakespeare Gardens in Montgomery, the sights and fragrant smells... READ MORE

+

Many people can’t afford to purchase a Mercedes, but they... READ MORE

+

The focal point of the addition to Birmingham’s Temple Emanuel... READ MORE

+

Birmingham: Ruffner Mountain Nature Center

Ruffner Mountain Nature Center is the centerpiece of the 1,011-acre... READ MORE

+

The largest limestone spring in North Alabama is Big Spring,... READ MORE

+

Three courthouses have flanked the Monroeville Courthouse Square over the... READ MORE

+

Dining at Spring House Restaurant in Russell Crossroads isn’t just... READ MORE

+

Alabama’s thriving brewery scene gets creative with logos found on... READ MORE

+

Sloss Furnaces was once the largest manufacturer of pig iron... READ MORE

+

Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve and Park

One of Birmingham’s most appealing characteristics is how nature coexists... READ MORE

+

Alabama Power was founded on renewable hydro energy and manages... READ MORE

+

Across from the Alabama Theatre is the Lyric Theatre, the... READ MORE

+

HERObike, a nonprofit bike shop in Greensboro, is dedicated to... READ MORE

+

Ever been curious to try woodworking, welding, ceramics or screen... READ MORE

+

“Everyone in his own way is affected by his environment. The chords that are struck in people are not necessarily the ones which the architect anticipates. It seems to me the better the building, the more variety of chords that are struck.”
Paul Rudolph, Architect of the Tuskegee Chapel

Design Influencer

Every time you use your laptop or ThinkPad you have... READ MORE

+

Planned communities are common these days, but were a novel... READ MORE

+

A few miles east of Mobile is Malbis Memorial Church,... READ MORE

+

Alabama has many movie palaces remaining from their golden age... READ MORE

+

When Montgomery-based Kershaw Manufacturing Company Inc. was incorporated in 1944,... READ MORE

+

Alabama graphic designers make a lasting imprint (no pun intended),... READ MORE

+

An example of Googie architecture – the whimsical, futuristic design... READ MORE

+

A long-vacant Sears department store in Birmingham was transformed into... READ MORE

+

Among Birmingham’s many attributes are its city parks and one... READ MORE

+

B.L. Harbert International, a construction company that builds U.S. embassies... READ MORE

+

Alabama boasts many claims to fame and one is Rickwood... READ MORE

+

With her commitment to preserving design and living arts traditions,... READ MORE

+

Indian Springs- Indian Springs School Phase 1

Indian Springs School, a 350-acre, private boarding school founded in... READ MORE

+

Apple recently became the first company in the United States... READ MORE

+

“Great cities have great parks!”
Frank Setzer, architect and Auburn University Professor

Design Influencer

With her experience in design and development for major brands,... READ MORE

+

Prairieville: St. Andrews Episcopal Church

No wonder that St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Prairieville is... READ MORE

+

St. John’s was organized in 1834 by pioneer settlers and... READ MORE

+

Alabama Department of Commerce: Made in Alabama campaign

Made in Alabama is a message that could not be... READ MORE

+

Huntsville: Twickenham Historic District

Sounds like something out of Dickens. Twickenham Historic District gets... READ MORE

+

Part of the historic Old Cloverdale neighborhood in Montgomery, the... READ MORE

+

Mobile’s historic urban squares may not be as well known... READ MORE

+

Not only is Gee’s Bend home to world-famous quilters, but... READ MORE

+

Fort Payne: Zkano & Little River Sock Company

Fort Payne was once the Sock Capital of the World... READ MORE

+

Two professors of industrial design at Auburn University made important... READ MORE

+

A great place for a spelunking adventure is Russell Cave... READ MORE

+

According to legend, as a prank students once led a... READ MORE

+

Children’s Harbor Lodge was designed to provide a haven for... READ MORE

+

Auburn University: Alabama Workshops Toolkit

Though the creative process is often a solitary pursuit, design... READ MORE

+

Car manufacturers: Hyundai, Mercedes, Honda

Alabama auto manufacturing keeps on rolling. Hyundai, Honda and Mercedes-Benz... READ MORE

+

Little Texas: Little Texas Methodist Tabernacle

One of the last structures of its kind is located... READ MORE

+

Birmingham: Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge

During the Jim Crow era, the Most Worshipful Prince Hall... READ MORE

+

Thomas Jefferson’s plan for the University of Virginia was designed... READ MORE

+

Architecture critic Peter Blake wrote in 1960 that during the... READ MORE

+

“I always wanted to be an inventor when I grew... READ MORE

+

Florence: hand-crafted brooms by George Jones Jr.

Among the most cherished crafts are those that are both... READ MORE

+

Wetumpka: Jasmine Hill Gardens and Outdoor Museum

No wonder that Jasmine Hill Gardens and Outdoor Museum near... READ MORE

+

The Posters of Auburn’s Urban Studio Small Town Design Initiative

Revitalizing towns should involve the entire community, and what better... READ MORE

+

“Everything that becomes mature and becomes heritable is subtle ... it takes a real strong and smart appetite to try to develop what's going to last.”
Bobby McAlpine, Architect and Author

Design Influencer

Chefs and restauranteurs in Alabama and across the country love... READ MORE

+

Alabama is fortunate to have many organizations working to improve... READ MORE

+

Alabama is home to the remains of one of the... READ MORE

+

“The nice thing about this kind of plan is you can show something that’s easy to follow. Its very real stuff. And its not just for big public project but for developments large or small. There’s more flexibility and that mean more value for property.”
Ken Groves, City Planner

Design Influencer

Just east of Natchez Trace Parkway outside Florence is one... READ MORE

+

Founded in 1888, Thomasville was in its infancy when a... READ MORE

+

Birmingham: Interior of Linn-Henley Research Library

Public libraries should inspire and inform, and the Linn-Henley Research... READ MORE

+

“I love every nook and cranny of the building, and during the restoration I was here every single day in a hard hat with the contractors,” recalls the Alabama native. “I could envision what it could be. I didn’t want to break land and create something new. I wanted old bones.”
Heidi Elnora, fashion designer and Alabama Native

Design Influencer

Not been to Gulf State Park in a while or... READ MORE

+

Birmingham: UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center

UAB’s Comprehensive Cancer Center was renovated in 2014 by Williams... READ MORE

+

Nineteen acres of unused spaced along the railroad tracks between... READ MORE

+

The adjective “stately” is often used, and even overused, to... READ MORE

+

At the entrance of Birmingham’s Rotary Trail is a 46-foot-tall... READ MORE

+

Community-led revitalization is challenging work and Main Street Alabama makes... READ MORE

+

A convergence of five streets sounds like a traffic nightmare,... READ MORE

+

A cluster of early buildings on the campus of Mobile’s... READ MORE

+

Courthouse Square has long been a significant part of Huntsville’s... READ MORE

+

Courthouse Square Commercial Historic District

In 1818, the White House officially reopened after being burned... READ MORE

+

Spirituality and symbolism are foremost in church design, and that... READ MORE

+

Montgomery-Capitol/Dexter Ave/Court Square

U.S. history changed twice on Montgomery’s six-block Dexter Avenue. At... READ MORE

+

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Cullman is proof that a... READ MORE

+

Mobile: The Grand Hotel (Point Clear- The Grand Hotel))

Built in 1847, the historic Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf... READ MORE

+

Several neo-Gothic landmarks adjoin the modernist Birmingham Downtown YMCA designed... READ MORE

+

In the tiny hamlet of Pittsview – an unincorporated community... READ MORE

+

A pioneer in the plastics recycling industry, Troy-based KW Plastics... READ MORE

+

Sandwiched by Huntsville to the east and Decatur to the... READ MORE

+

“What is important is using ones talents and intellect and energy in order to gain an appreciation and affection for people and place.”
Sam Mockbee, Architect and Rural Studio Founder

Design Influencer

An organization that was instrumental to the design career of... READ MORE

+

When A.H. Cather Publishing Company in Birmingham closed its door... READ MORE

+

The 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery March was a pivotal moment in the... READ MORE

+

When it comes to the DesignAlabama Journal, you certainly can... READ MORE

+

Neoclassical architecture is associated with many buildings such as the... READ MORE

+

Alabama’s only cable-stayed bridge is the Cochrane–Africatown USA Bridge carrying... READ MORE

+

Owen Foster, a 2005 graduate of Auburn’s Master of Industrial... READ MORE

+

Bold lines, geometric shapes and primary colors energize YMCA Youth... READ MORE

+

Communities across Alabama are thriving thanks to the ongoing efforts... READ MORE

+

Auburn University industrial design graduate Ken Musgrave is vice president... READ MORE

+

What do New York City’s Central Park and the master... READ MORE

+

St. Michael’s and All Angels Church in Anniston would not... READ MORE

+

Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is the largest golf... READ MORE

+

Columbiana: 4-H Environmental Education Center

The Alabama 4-H Center in Columbiana has a strong identity... READ MORE

+

Pennsylvania is the state with the most covered bridges with... READ MORE

+

The hallmark of Birmingham’s Kelly Ingram Park is its many... READ MORE

+

Prayer and spiritual devotion come in many forms. For Brother... READ MORE

+

No surprise that Avondale Park is one of Birmingham’s most... READ MORE

+

Step into the lobby and take in the magnificent multicolored,... READ MORE

+

Community Identity through Graphic Design

Known as a historic railroad town, the City of Opelika... READ MORE

+

The designs created by Mary Catherine Folmar for her hand-illustrated... READ MORE

+

Tuscaloosa and Montgomery are two cities that have taken full... READ MORE

+

Fifty-three illegally purchased West Africans were transported from Cuba in... READ MORE

+

A fine example of Birmingham’s long and rich legacy of... READ MORE

+

“We want good design in Alabama to be like breathing, a natural part of living and doing things”
Philip Morris, Writer, Editor and Design Enthusiast

Design Influencer

“I remain in my own designs a minimalist and believe in trying to do the most with the least-simple, and one hopes, elegant design.”
Cheryl Morgan, FAIA, Architect and Professor, Auburn University

Design Influencer