April 4, 2025 Faculty Awarded for Research Publications

Two faculty members from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s College of Architecture and Design have been recognized with prestigious book awards, highlighting their contributions to architectural and design scholarship. 

Avigail Sachs, interim associate dean for research and professor of architecture, received the 2024 On the Brinck Book Award from the University of New Mexico’s School of Architecture and Planning for her book, “The Garden in the Machine.” The book, published in 2023, offers an overview of the Tennessee Valley Authority and the relationship between infrastructure, regional planning, and architecture in shaping a process of nation building. 

The award, created in honor of John Brinckerhoff Jackson, was juried by Sunil Bald, Felipe Correa, Margaret Crawford, Charles L. Davis III, Catherine Page Harris, Cathy Lang Ho, and Thaïsa Way. As a part of the recognition, Sachs gave a lecture at UNM SA+P earlier this month. 

“The award had special meaning for me because it is in honor of JB Jackson and his work on place in North America,” said Sachs. “I have been inspired by Jackson for many years, so much so that I selected one of his books for the event of my promotion to full professor.” 

Associate Professor of Interior Architecture Liz Teston was honored with the 2024 Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) Book Award for “Public Interiority: Exploring Interiors in the Public Realm,” inspired by a symposium she held on the topic in the spring of 2023. 

“This IDEC Book Award is impactful in the interior architecture discipline and for interiors at UT—not only because few awards recognize books on architecture and design but also because it was a collaborative effort representing design research on public interiority by several designers and scholars,” said Teston. 

These awards reflect the groundbreaking research and scholarship taking place within the college, shaping the future of architecture, design, and the built environment.