Urban Planning & Design

A technical and political process concerned with the development and design of land use and the built environment, including air, water, and the infrastructure passing into and out of urban areas, such as transportation, communications, and distribution networks.

Activism
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black-owned firms
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Research
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Stars
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Urban Design
urban planning
visual culture
Writing

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?

Perspectives

Hilyard Robinson: A Visionary Architect of Social Change

By R. Kofi Bempong

Hilyard Robinson, a pioneering African American architect, reshaped public housing in the United States with his innovative, community-focused designs. His notable projects, including the Langston Terrace Dwellings and Aberdeen Gardens, exemplify his commitment to social reform and architectural excellence. Robinson's enduring legacy continues to influence and inspire future generations in the field of architecture.

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

Kennedy Yanko and Camille Bacon

Title: Season 3, Episode 2: We explore the relationship between art, spirituality, and abstraction with Kennedy Yanko and Camille Bacon, as they reflect on their professional practices in sculpting and writing, and on their explorations of visual perception and Black feminism.

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 

Nexus Podcast

Dana McKinney

Season 2, Episode 8: We learn from Dana McKinney how her commitment to activism has been integral to her architectural practice and education.

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.

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

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.