Hawkins Partners was commissioned to design one of three new areas per a 2014 Master Plan for the historic Cheekwood Estate, a 55-acre botanical garden, arboretum and museum and one of Nashville’s jewels.

The new Carell Sculpture Trail and Gardens meanders through acres of woodland terrain. Hawkins Partners created two continuous paths, the Hickory and Cedar Loops, of elevated boardwalk and soft mulch respectively, that guide visitors through the woods, along and over a stream, and through areas of flowering dogwood. The experience is now one of coming upon fine sculpture in delightful and surprising ways; the trails pass ten pieces of notable art from the collections. Our work improved the overall health of the property, including clearing it of invasive plants, uncovering the stream, protecting the woodland slopes and restoring the vegetation as we artfully reinterpreted the landscape.