Tom Lee Park has received yet another national honor, this time in the form of a 2025 Regional and Urban Design Award from the American Institute of Architects. The AIA award recognizes Tom Lee Park for revitalizing the Memphis riverfront, reconnecting the city to the Mississippi River “through design and accessible amenities.”
Tom Lee Park’s design was a collaboration between Memphis River Parks Partnership, architecture and urban design practice Studio Gang, landscape architect firm SCAPE and the more than 4,000 Memphians who provided input on the park’s design during community engagement sessions.
The AIA’s 2025 Regional & Urban Design program recognizes the best in urban design, regional and city planning and community development. According to the AIA,
“The best planning accounts for the entire built environment, local culture and available resources—modeling architecture’s promise and true value to communities. An AIA award is the ultimate acknowledgment of impactful, exemplary work that sets new standards and inspires others.”
In announcing Tom Lee Park as one of five winners of the 2025 Regional and Urban Design Award, the AIA described Tom Lee Park:
“Inspired by river flow, the park honors local hero Tom Lee and fosters equity in underserved neighborhoods. Tom Lee Park catalyzes the reunification of river and city by transforming a significant piece of the riverfront into a signature park where community life can flourish.”
"National honors like this from highly respected organizations like the AIA are not only good for our riverfront, they're also good for Memphis,"
"This recognition reminds Memphians and informs visitors what a jewel we have in our riverfront."
This recognition follows on the heels of another award from AIA that was announced in March, when AIA New York recognized Tom Lee Park with its highest honor for urban design. Other winners in the AIA New York Design Awards 2025 included projects in Singapore, Taiwan, Canada and China. In that competition, one reviewer said of Tom Lee Park:
"This was one of the highest scoring projects across the board…”
This blog was written by Kim Cherry
Kim Cherry supports Memphis River Parks Partnership and other organizations with public relations consulting. She’s a native Memphian and rabid Grizzlies fan who has a remarkable sense of humor, regardless of what her family thinks. I mean, this chick is really funny.
