February 24, 2025 Cole (’08) Named to Volunteer 40 Under 40
Joseph Cole (’08) learned about Ƶ’s architecture program from his ACE mentor, Jeff Holmes (’95), as a high school student in Nashville, Tennessee. As a child, Cole would pillage through property listing magazines from the grocery store, creating his own designs for houses.
When it came time to applying to the university, he was prepared, but he hadn’t been aware of a secondary application specific to the School of Architecture until the last minute.
“We were filling out the application by hand and post-marking it so close to the deadline,” he said.
Cole was admitted to UT as undeclared but was willing to wait a year if it meant being able to transfer into the program his sophomore year. A week before moving to campus, he heard from the college that a seat was available in architecture, and it was his if he wanted it.
Now, 17 years later, Cole is the CEO and founder of Culture Architecture and Design, a Nashville-based firm focused on redefining how people connect with spaces. He has been named to the 2025 Volunteer 40 Under 40 class, an annual honor recognizing alumni under age 40 who are excelling personally and professionally since completing their degrees at UT.
“Being recognized by the University of Tennessee is a true, full-circle moment,” he said. “There are so many impactful moments that I’ve had on campus that I reference daily. It’s a true honor for the university to now recognize me for my accomplishments in the profession because I truly feel like many of these accomplishments started right there on that campus.”
As a first-year student, Cole received the African American Achievers Scholarship, which financially supported his five-year education and introduced him to a community that made campus feel like home. However, it wasn’t until his junior year that Cole was able to find his place within the field of architecture.
“Through Frank Sparkman’s third-year studio, I was introduced to the East Tennessee Community Design Center, and he encouraged me to apply for their internship,” he said. “The types of projects that the center was involved in introduced me to design activism and design that had an impact on communities.”
He continued to be heavily involved on campus and in the local community, going on to be awarded the Gene Mitchell Gray Pioneer Award, UT’s highest honor for improving cultural diversity on campus.
After graduation, with knowledge of the type of architecture he would one day pursue through his own business, Cole returned home to Nashville to work with Thomas, Miller & Partners and later Gensler’s New York City office.
“Both of those firms are highly regarded for putting together phenomenal drawings and designs,” he said. The opportunities prepared him for the practice side that Cole still leans on with his firm today.
Between his two positions, Cole stepped away from architecture to pursue his Master of Business Administration at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, which prepared him for launching his business in 2020.
“I remember having a hard week at work after we’d moved back to Nashville, and my wife and I were talking about what might be next for me,” he said. “I filed the paperwork for our LLC on a Friday, and the following week I was getting a call from someone I went to church with asking about a project.”
Culture’s projects range from residential renovations to complex, commercial ground-up buildings. Cole established the organization to create compelling spaces and brands that people love and connect to. In five years, his team has become a trusted partner for significant projects, including Vanderbilt University’s FirstBank Football Stadium renovation, the Park Center Headquarters, and their largest venture yet, as associate architects for the New Nissan Stadium, Home of the Tennessee Titans.
“This endeavor is more than just a construction project; it’s a testament to the spirit and resilience of a city steeped in rich history and poised for an even brighter future,” he said. “Our team is humbled by the opportunity to contribute to the legacy of Nashville, and we’re committed to creating a stadium that will not only redefine the skyline but also the very heartbeat of this great city. This stadium will leave an indelible mark on Nashville, and we can’t wait to be part of the journey.”
Cole stays engaged with the university and college as a former lecturer and Dean’s Advocacy Board member, serving nearly 10 years as the chair of the recruitment committee. He continues to advocate for diversity and mentors aspiring architects while engaging in local initiatives and civic activities through Nashville’s chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects.
This year’s Volunteer 40 Under 40 class will be honored at an event to be held in Ƶ on February 28, 2025.
