Big thanks to my friend Emily Iremonger at Asif Khan, located in London, for sharing images of the "Beatbox" project ompleted for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Khan and his team created an tectonic representation of what KRS-One describes as the essence of hip hop, the ability to remix. Although Asif Khan made no attempt to directly connect this project to hip hop culture, and as it focused more on the creation of music in general, it's impossible for me not to see it as a precedent for hip hop inspired architecture both programmatically and aesthetically.
Read MoreDetroit native, Erik Howard, explains how The Alley Project (T.A.P.) came to be what it is today, in Southwest Detroit. Merging the artistry of graffiti and street arts with the practice of architecture and social justice, Howard and his organization, Young Nation, has provided more than just an artist outlet for Detroit youth, he has provided them with a structure which helps develop their craft and achieve their dreams.
Read MoreOn September 24, 2014 I was invited to lecture at University of Detroit Mercy's School of Architecture as a part of the 2014 Detroit Design Festival. Here is a time-lapse video of attendees filling the lecture space.
Read MoreThe mayor of my hometown was there! The City of Highland Park's Mayor DeAndre Windom attending my Hip Hop Architecture lecture at the University of Detroit Mercy during the 2014 Detroit Design Festival. I appreciate the time that Mayor Windom has taken from his busy schedule to show me support over the years. He has a vested interest in hip hop, as he is married to one of the dopest female MCs to ever touch a mic, Yolanda Whitaker (YO-YO).
Read MoreArchitect, Rainy Hamilton Jr. attended my Hip Hop Inspired Architect lecture at University of Detroit this past week. Mr Hamilton is the first African American architect I ever met and he gave me my start in architecture at Hamilton Anderson Associates following my completion of graduate school at UDM. He also pushed me to evolve my concepts and lecture style by sponsoring various trips to present at NOMA (National Organization of Minority Architects) Conferences around the country.
Read MoreToday, Tiffany Brown, a former resident of Detroit's public housing who received her master’s degree in architecture from Lawrence Technological University is the new leading lady at the Brewsters nearly 80 years after the ribbon cutting by former first lady Elanor Roosevelt.. She represents Hamilton Anderson Associates as the construction administrator during demolition. How ironic is it that one who transcended the limitations of being born and raised in the public housing systems of Detroit is now the architectural representative coordinating the demolition process,
Read MoreMy "Hip Hop Inspired Architecture" exhibit at the 2014 AIA Convention in Chicago, Illinois was dedicated to the memory of my son, Michael Ford III, affectionately known as MJ3. The pain of losing my son has fueled my passion for reading and connecting dots which few individuals before me have ventured to connect. The dark hours spent mourning MJ3's death, created a craving for tranquility that only a book can provide. Since my son's passing, my research has gotten deeper and some even describe it as dark at times, as I reveal little known truths about the history of architecture, art and black culture all of which provide a basis for why society needs and subconsciously yearns for a hip hop inspired architecture
Read MoreWe all know Pharrell Williams is much more than a musical genius he has deep interest in design as well. Mr. Williams has launched clothing lines, furniture lines and has a respectable architectural portfolio under his belt as well. The images below are from the PWRC(Pharrell Williams Resource Center) designed by Oppenheim and Pharrell.
Read MoreOn June 24 at the 2014 AIA National Convention, I had the privileged of exhibiting my research endeavors which are centered about the creation of an architecture inspired by hip hop culture. The research, which can be discovered by exploring the previous post on my blog, positions prominent architectural practitioners and historical figures such as Le Corbusier and former first Lady Eleanor Roosevelt at the helm of creating the architectural environments which prompted the birth of hip hop culture. The research then transitions to tell the story of the individuals born into hip hop culture and raised in those environments who are now architectural practitioners and creating a new style of socially conscious, technologically innovative architecture.
Read MoreDid you complete a graduate thesis investigation related to the merger of architecture and hip hop culture? Did you complete an undergraduate studio project related to the topic or even a lecture or developed a published article related to the topic? If so, this call is for you. This call is for architectural professionals, students and artists to submit previously completed works for review and inclusion in my upcoming exhibit. The exhibit is titled, “A Cultural Innovation: Hip Hop Inspired Architecture and Arts” and is scheduled for Thursday, June 26, 2014 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers from 7:00pm - 9:00pm. The exhibit will highlight my research on this topic and will include the works of iconic entertainers, hip hop artists, academic institutions, students and architects from around the globe.
Read MoreGreat news! On June 26, 2014 at the 2014 American Institute of Architects National Convention in Chicago Illinois, a Hip Hop Inspired Architecture exhibit will be on display and its being designed by yours truly! After years and years of research, presentations and lectures at various universities and multiple publications, I am now going to show my aspirations on a grand scale. The 2014 AIA Convention in Chicago may very well attract over 15,000 attendees, including architectural professionals, practitioners, educators, students and allied professionals from around the nation. Please help me make this exhibit possible by clicking on the donate button below. I will be grateful for any amount and will display your name or company name as a sponsor.
Read MoreI've blogged on several occasions about Ice Cube receiving a degree in architectural drafting prior to NWA's success. He has continued to show his love and affection for the profession in a variety of ways, including his involvement Getty, as they released a celebration of Charles and Ray Eames. Below is the recreation of the Classic Eames shot in the extremely rare DAT-1 chair created by Eames in 1953. See my previous post "Ice Cube Celebrates the Eames" for a video tour of South Central LA and Ice Cube's reflection on Eames in a style that only Cube can pull off!
Read MoreOn February 24, 2014 I took the UW students on an architectural journey which allowed them to discover how the notion of remixing and re-appropriating architectural theories and visions resulted in the unintentional creation of the physical, sociological, political and economical environments which not only prompted, but also predicted the birth of hip hop culture. I must note that these were not architectural students, the attendees represented a broad swath of academic programs offered at University of Wisconsin. A number of them are a part of University of Wisconsin's First Wave program, the largest publicly funded hip hop arts program at any institution in the nation. A full-tuition First Wave scholarship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is named after the legendary pioneer for women in hip-hop, MC Lyte! She is an avid supporter of the program, she announced the first scholarship recipient at a BET Awards Show.
Read MoreHave you ever heard people mention the guilty pleasures of Googling oneself? If not, you should try it, its fascinating what comes up in the searches. While Googling myself I found a ton of information about hip hop and architecture but did not expect to find this enthused blogger's response immediately following my Hip Hop Inspired Architecture presentation at the 2012 NOMA Conference in Detroit, Michigan. I feel honored to be used as a vessel to encourage people to increase their involvement in architecture! Hip Hop is so powerful!
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