About 2 percent of architects in the U.S. are African-American. That’s a statistic Michael Ford wants to change by using Hip Hop to inspire young people to think of new ways to solve urban development problems that segregate and marginalize low-income communities.
In the St. Louis region, the free program will begin July 30 at the Natural Bridge Branch of the St. Louis County Library. Click here to register.
“What happens at the intersection of hip-hop culture and architecture?” Michael Ford, co-founder of the Urban Arts Collective asked during a TEDx talk in Madison, Wisconsin. “I’ve dedicated my entire academic and professional careers to exploring this intersection.”
This summer, local youth will have the opportunity to explore that intersection alongside Ford when he facilitates a Hip Hop Architecture Camp hosted by St. Louis County Library’s Natural Bridge Branch. The camp is open to children between the ages of 11-14 and will take place from July 30 – August 3. Hip Hop Architecture Camp is free – and includes free lunch – but students are required to apply in advance. Applications are currently being accepted through May 21. Interested students will be required to submit a brief essay as part of the application process.
The Hip Hop Architecture Camp and one of our 2017 Austin Texas participants, Brianna White, was featured in Black Girl Nerds. As co-founder of the Urban Arts Collective, I have had the opportunity to work on many inspiring projects that involve bringing S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) education to individuals through the influence of hip-hop. I’ve spoken at SXSW on the topic numerous times and even helped design the Universal Hip Hop Museum, with input from local students and the Bronx community. Yet last year through my work with Autodesk, I kicked-off one of my proudest collaborations yet: The Hip Hop Architecture Camps.
The Hip Hop Architecture Camp in Los Angeles. Photo by Josh Berry
Highland Park native Michael Ford has made a career out of his two seemingly unconnected passions: hip-hop and architecture. But listen to him talk and the two are obviously intertwined — it was the Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier's invention of the idea of modern housing projects that gave rise to 1520 Sedgwick Ave. in the Bronx, and 1520 Sedgwick Ave. gave rise to hip-hop.
After giving a traveling lecture series and exhibition series on the interconnectedness of hip-hop and architecture, Ford will soon bring his latest project to Detroit. Hip Hop Architecture Camp is a weekly, month-long meetup open for free to middle school students designed "to introduce underrepresented youth to architecture, urban planning, creative place making, and economic development through the lens of hip-hop culture," and after the camp MOCAD will show an exhibition of work created by the students. We spoke with Ford to learn more.
The American Institute of Architects’ South Carolina Chapter (AIASC) is excited to share that this year’s Annual Design Conference will take place in conjunction with renowned nine-day art competition, ArtFields. Held in the small town of Lake City, S.C., the conference will begin on Wednesday, April 18 and end Friday, April 20 with a gift to the community.