Knoxville City Authority

The 500,545-square-foot Knoxville Convention Center consists of a 121,000-square-foot exhibit hall, a 30,000-square-foot ballroom, 26,000-square feet of meeting space in 19 rooms, a 400-seat lecture hall, and a full banquet kitchen with back-of-house service. The functions are arranged in three levels with the exhibit hall and truck service at the lowest and underground level. The three-level center is well suited to the rolling terrain of Knoxville. Every opportunity has been taken to use the level changes to help organize public circulation both horizontally and vertically. In doing so, the circulation benefits from the various views to and from the site.

The structural framing was primarily structural steel trusses and beam purlins. A combination of moment frames and braced frames provided lateral stability. Foundations were constructed with caissons bearing on rock.