How Architects and Urban Planners Played a Role In Trayvon Martin's Death

"Walk at Your Own Risk" published in Architect Magazine, is very interesting to me, because I constantly speak about architects and planners developing more than the simple physical environments people attribute to our profession. As a whole, we unintentionally shape the subconsciousness and cultural incubators of the inhibitors of our spaces. I challenge all designers, planners, architects etc to make conscious strides towards considering the social implications of their architectural designs and plans on the intended users.

Read More

Ball State University - Architectural Competition meets Hip Hop

Chris Baker, a student at Ball State University and fellow member of NOMA, National Organization of Minority Architects teamed with Kyle Edwards and received an honorable mention in the Queens Way Connection: Elevating the Public Realm Competition. His inspiration for the design concept and programming organizing principles was hip hop, more specifically Nas' song "One Mic". The program was organized based on the a sonic investigation of "One Mic", and the lyrical content, which preaches positive rebellion against suppressive systems, rather cultural, social or economical. In Chris' case the limiting system was the physical site for the architectural competition. He describes it as rigid, nauseatingly rhythmic,  and linear.

Read More