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Perspectives

The Rosa Parks of Architecture: Norma Merrick Sklarek

By R. Kofi Bempong

Explore the inspiring journey of Norma Merrick Sklarek, the 'Rosa Parks of architecture,' in this compelling narrative. From her early days in Harlem to becoming the first African American woman licensed as an architect in New York, Sklarek's story is one of resilience and brilliance.

Perspectives

Architect to The Stars: Paul R. Williams

By R. Kofi Bempong

Discover Paul R. Williams, a trailblazing African American architect who reshaped American design. From the LAX Theme Building to celebrity homes, Williams' over 3,000 works blend modernism with Hollywood Regency.

Feature

John Louis Wilson Jr.

There are many aspects of 20th-century American urban development and architectural practice embedded in the history of John Louis Wilson, Jr. The first Black graduate of Columbia’s school of architecture in 1928, Wilson is best known for working on the...

Nexus Podcast

The Nexus X Black in Design

Season 2, Episode 7: The Nexus goes live with Black in Design 2021: Black Matter! We reflect on two panels held on October 9th with attendees of the Black in Design conference.

Nexus Podcast

Tiara Hughes

Season 2, Episode 4: Tiara Hughes calls for equity across the architecture community, with an emphasis on increasing initiatives that focus on education and mentorship.

Nexus Podcast

Justin Garrett Moore

Season 2, Episode 2: Justin Garrett Moore shares the history of Urban Patch and the importance of expanding the archive of Architectural history to include marginalized voices.

In The News

The African American Design Nexus’ Harlem StoryMap traces the neighborhood’s Black-designed places

Sala Elise Patterson interviews the AADN’s Thandi Nyambose on the meaning behind the Harlem StoryMap.

Nexus Podcast

Isabel Strauss

Season 1, Episode 7: Isabel Strauss, a current GSD student, discusses her thesis, which takes the shape of a Request for Proposals to address paths to reparations for Black communities in Chicago's South Side.

Announcements

Architects of Black Harlem

The AADN's Thandi Nyambose surveys some of the places where Black designers have made space for domesticity, creativity, and community, and built a Harlem of bricks and of the imagination. 

Nexus Podcast

Toni Griffin

Season 1, Episode 6: Urbanist, architect, and GSD Professor Toni Griffin shares her experiences transitioning from working in the private sector to the public sector and starting her own design research initiative.