Ruby Falls has broken ground on a 14,500-square-foot corporate headquarters atop Lookout Mountain. Designed by HK Architects, the project brings sustainable design to the landmark attraction, known for its 96-year legacy of connecting visitors to nature.
The new headquarters will be constructed using mass timber – a lower-carbon building method making its debut in the Chattanooga area. Mass timber uses engineered wood components that are strong, durable and sustainable, enabling a more compact building footprint with minimal tree removal. The cypress used in the structure has been sourced within 500 miles of the site.
The headquarters is designed to achieve LEED Silver certification, a globally recognized standard for green buildings. Features will include energy efficiency, water conservation, sustainable material selections, natural habitat protection and enhanced indoor environmental quality.
The building will house private and shared offices, conference and focus rooms, a large break room, covered porches with diverse seating and a fitness center to support employee wellness.
Construction is expected to be completed by August 2026. The work will unfold in three phases: site work and traffic improvements will take place from July to August 2025, including updates to the driveway entrance and the construction of new retaining walls designed to match the park’s existing architecture; mass timber framing, expected to last 20 weeks, will occur August to December 2025. Landscaping, as well as exterior and interior construction, will begin in January and conclude in August 2026.
Contractors and partners include HK Architects (architecture, interior design), P&S Engineering (mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering and fire protection engineering), Studio 323 Architecture & Design (LEED consultant), March Adams (structural engineering), Miller McCoy (civil engineering), CSDG (landscape architecture), Stone Mill (mass timber engineering consultant and fabricator), and JC Curtis Construction (general contractor).
Ruby Falls is home to the tallest underground waterfall open to the public in the United States. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the attraction draws over half a million visitors annually with guided cave tours, ziplines, luxury treehouse lodging, a castle cafe and event venue.
Based in Chattanooga, HK Architects’ local projects include Warehouse Row, Signal Mill, the Avondale Youth and Family Development Center, the Montessori Elementary School at Highland Park and the Hunter Art Museum Terrace renovation.