CPA's new Soli Deo Center has been awarded the top-tier Honor Award for design from American Institute of Architects in Middle Tennessee. Our design by Hastings Architecture was led by alum Robert Kown '01, and is selected as one of two honor award recipients in the region. The design winners are recognized for their own artistic impact, but also for the impact to the communities they serve.

The use of natural light, central to its design, is intended to emphasize a perspective heavenward. At night, the lobby is transformed into a glowing lantern, further reinforcing the salt and light ethos of the Academy. The chandeliers in the lobby, composed of a pair of concentric brass rings serve as a reminder of the process and purpose of an education at CPA. One light shines inward, representing the nurturing environment fostered while at CPA, and the other light shines outward, illustrating how we, as God’s children are indeed, the light of the world. It is a truly beautiful focal point of our campus! 

The AIA, founded in 1857, is one of the oldest and most respected professional cohorts in the U.S. The organization’s Middle Tennessee chapter comprises more than 850 architects across 35 counties.

Read more about the Soli Deo Center, the new "front door to CPA", in the CPA Magazine: Purple and Gold 2021.