Public Space

Open spaces designed for public use or are accessible to the public, often designed to foster a sense of community.

Perspectives

Claiming Open Spaces

By Michael Bryan II

"Claiming Open Spaces" unearths the hidden stories of urban parks in African American communities—places of cultural identity, expression, and unexpected struggle. Through the voices of community members and the lens of history, Austin Allen reveals both the beauty and the battles behind spaces like Franklin Park. But what happens when these cherished places are threatened by powerful interests?

Nexus Podcast

Ama Gisèle and RESOLVE Collective

Season 3, Episode 3: Ama Gisèle and Resolve Collective’s Akil and Seth Scafe-Smith offer a candid exploration that challenges traditional boundaries in art, architecture, and filmmaking, all while pondering the future of design and its impact on inclusive spaces.

Nexus Podcast

Nifemi Marcus-Bello and Curry J. Hackett

Title: Season 3, Episode 1: Nifemi Marcus-Bello and Curry J. Hackett engage in a conversation on designing narratives of place, with particular attention to practice grounded in mobility and empathy 

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...

StoryMaps

Twin Cities StoryMap

This AADN StoryMap reckons with the spatial contexts of the police killings of Philando Castile in 2016 and George Floyd in 2020 and investigates the structural role of the built environment in the Twin Cities.

Nexus Podcast

Rob Problak Gibbs

Season 2, Episode 3: Rob Problak Gibbs details how his origins as a graffiti writer and practice as a muralist have shaped the ways in which he engages with his community through the built environment.

StoryMaps

Harlem, NYC StoryMap

By tracing Black-designed places in Harlem, this StoryMap highlights the importance of Black urbanists in shaping Harlem’s historical and contemporary identities.

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.

Nexus Podcast

Stephen Gray

Season 1, Episode 5: Urban designer and GSD Professor Stephen Gray examines ways in which we can bridge the gap between academia and real-projects.

Nexus Podcast

Michelle Joan Wilkinson

Season 1, Episode 4: Dr. Michelle Joan Wilkinson discusses the systems of power embedded in architectural design and her work as a curator documenting diasporic architectural heritage.