Founder Manuel Zeitlin To Retire After 4 Decades In Nashville. – CITY NOW NEXT

After more than four decades of shaping Nashville’s built environment and creative culture, architect Manuel Zeitlin, founder of MZA Architecture & Interiors, will retire from the firm at the end of 2025. Zeitlin will continue to collaborate with the firm on select projects. When Zeitlin founded his practice in 1981, Nashville was still discovering its architectural voice. His human-centered, context-driven designs helped the city grow into the vibrant, design-conscious community it is today.

His built work spans many of Nashville’s most recognizable destinations, including the adaptive reuse of Cummins Station, the social landmark Pinewood Social, innovative educational spaces at Valor Collegiate Academies, and mission-driven community spaces such as the Oasis Center and Abe’s Garden. Each project reflects one of Zeitlin’s core beliefs: that architecture should elevate everyday life and strengthen the communities it serves.

“It’s been a privilege working with Manuel for the past 21+ years and having been a part of the studio’s growth and transformation. His passion for design is only matched by his genuine benevolence and eternal optimism. Manuel’s retirement is not an ending; he will undoubtedly remain a community advocate, a spokesperson for sustainability, and a champion for this city… and I expect he will continue to be among the first in line to try each new restaurant that opens. Let’s celebrate Manuel!”

Mark Bixler, LEED AP, Architect, Managing Partner | MZA Architecture & Interiors

A Lasting Legacy of Design and Community

Under Zeitlin’s leadership, MZA became known for its adaptive reuse and community-driven projects, from transforming big box stores into schools – like the recently completed KIPP Antioch Global Campus – to designing cultural landmarks that embody the energy of modern Nashville. His influence extended well beyond architecture: Manuel and his wife, Janice Zeitlin, helped found the Wedgewood-Houston arts district, transforming a former industrial pocket into one of Nashville’s most creative neighborhoods.

Through their pioneering contemporary art gallery, Zeitgeist, they helped launch what would become Nashville’s modern art scene – supporting emerging artists, hosting early experimental exhibitions, and establishing a space where the city’s creative community could gather. Zeitgeist also hosted early meetings of the Community Design Forum, a grassroots collective of architects, designers, and civic leaders that later evolved into the Nashville Civic Design Center.

“Manuel’s spirit of optimism and ability to see the limitless potential in every person and every project is the real special sauce at the heart of our practice. He is a magnet for good people and brings out the best in people, and anyone who knows him, knows this. When I wandered through MZA’s open garage door nearly a decade ago, I was about as green as they come.

My introduction to the firm was equal parts being thrown into the deep end and patient mentorship, a recipe built on trust and collaboration that has allowed me to stretch myself far beyond where I believed my limits to be. It has been such an incredible privilege to work for him and with him, among truly the best colleagues, in one of the coolest studios in town.”

Juliana Daily, Interior Designer | MZA Architecture & Interiors

Zeitlin’s commitment to education and public service has been equally impactful. He served for several years as Chairman of the Interior Design Department at O’More College of Design and as Commissioner of the Franklin Historic District Commission, contributing to both design education and the preservation of architectural heritage in Middle Tennessee. In 2020, he was honored by Boston Architectural College as the “BAC Outstanding Alumnus”.

Transforming Urban Nashville

His architectural work shaped entire neighborhoods – particularly in The Gulch, where he played a formative role in the Gulch masterplan and led key projects including Mercury Lofts and Terrazzo, two buildings that helped transform the district into a nationally recognized urban community and one of Nashville’s first walkable, mixed-use urban districts. His portfolio across Nashville reflects that same ethos: design as a platform for culture, creativity, and connection.

“The whole of Manuel’s being — as I’ve known it for nearly forty years — has always been that of an explorer. He is endlessly seeking. While others might pride themselves on ‘thinking outside the box,’ Manuel has never even acknowledged that a box exists — and that’s precisely what makes him remarkable. For decades, we’ve shared the rare joy of not finishing each other’s sentences but completing each other’s black lines on tracing paper. My hope for Manuel is that he continues to draw far beyond the lines — no matter where the next adventure takes him.” – Kim Hawkins, FASLA, Founding Partner | Hawkins Partners

A Future Built on Shared Ownership

Since 2019, MZA has operated as an employee-owned firm, reflecting the collaborative ethos that Zeitlin championed throughout his career. When Zeitlin retires, MZA’s existing leadership, management team, and design staff will continue to lead the company – ensuring complete continuity for clients, partners, and ongoing projects under the same talented individuals who have shaped the firm for years, advancing the principles of craft, sustainability, and community that have defined MZA for more than four decades.

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