Atelier Ten’s Post

The Architecture Foundation of Oregon (AFO) has appointed Mayer/Reed, Inc. Principal Kathy Fry to its board of directors. Known for programs such as Architects in Schools, fellowships and design-related events, AFO educates and inspires Oregonians from all walks of life to engage with design of the built environment. “I’m thrilled to join the board and collaborate with local professionals in support of the AFO mission,” said Kathy. “This is a crucial time to partner with the community, highlighting the impact of design on our future while recognizing the essential role designers play in the health of our cities and state.” Kathy is a leader in the field of experiential graphic design. She has served on the board of directors and as president of the SEGD and currently serves on TriMet's Public Art Advisory Committee. Kathy joins five new members on the 30-person board.

I just attended an enlightening panel discussion at Campbell Hall on "Empty Pedestals: Countering Confederate Narratives Through Public Design." Co-editors Kofi Boone and M. Elen Deming from the North Carolina College of Design and C.L. Bohannon and Elgin Cleckley from our School of Architecture shared profound insights on reimagining public spaces to challenge oppressive narratives. As an architectural historian, I was particularly struck by how deeply our understanding of architectural history can influence decisions and designs surrounding memorials and monuments. The panel emphasized that monuments are not neutral artifacts but imbued with the ideologies and intentions of those who erected them. We can uncover underlying narratives perpetuating inequality and exclusion by critically examining the historical context and the power structures that shaped these monuments. The discussion highlighted, for me, how architectural historians' crucial role in informing the redesign and repurposing of these spaces. By bringing forgotten or marginalized histories to light, we can influence design decisions that honor diverse perspectives and experiences. The panelists shared innovative approaches—such as community-engaged design processes and the incorporation of storytelling—that transform former sites of oppression into inclusive spaces for reflection and healing. One key takeaway was that reimagining monuments isn't just about removing symbols of the past but about actively creating spaces that promote equity and justice. By leveraging our expertise in architectural history, we can help ensure that new designs are contextually sensitive and culturally resonant, fostering a more inclusive public memory. Seeing how our field can contribute to social justice and equity through the built environment was inspiring. Thank you to the Dean's Forum on Equity & Inclusion for thoughtfully supporting this event. Mary-Claire Erskine Andrea R. Roberts, PhD Jessica Sewell Elgin Cleckley, NOMA, C.L. Bohannon, Ph.D., FASLA, Kofi Boone, and others. #ArchitecturalHistory #PublicDesign #InclusiveDesign #EquityAndInclusion #ReimaginingMonuments

Today on the GH blog we share the first of three think pieces by Design Champion Jake Stephenson. Wider Issues: Race and Architecture. This series of blogs will focus on three specific challenges that persist within the built environment. Firstly, there is a lack of visibility of black and black mixed heritage individuals within the industry. Secondly, we must consider the role of participatory processes and community engagement in the design of our built environments. Finally, as professionals in this field, we need to address the climate emergency and the ecological crisis. https://lnkd.in/ewGPNy3T Inspired by an invitation to talk at MSA foundation year about participatory processes under the topic of Wider Issues within the built environment.

Check out some prospective from our very own Stephanie Onwenu, ASLA highlighted in LAF!

09022024 On Eloquent Ideas for September 2, 2024, we continue our discussion of African American Architecture with a look at ‘The Equity of Site Selection.’ Are all the good spots gone? Who got them? What does this mean for design? Later in the show, we will look at Another word from Voices of the Heart. This time the word is Evil, but we aren’t. Are you? Eloquent Ideas is a show about seeing more in the world around us. Listen at 1:00 EST every Monday on [https://lnkd.in/eZiuEUU7) [https://lnkd.in/e-VqKpWc) and Apple Music WDRBmedia Shown below are apartment blocks under construction in Philadelphia in July of 2022. If the good spots were already taken, what was sacrificed to build these? Is this solution worth the loss? Is this creative? It is surely efficient, but is that all we want from urban Architecture?

Some iconic bridges are reconstructed so often that they achieve immortality. Others become visual icons for their regions as they age. What happens to the rest of them? How does their legacy live on? Only time will tell… In the latest installment of his #ASCESource series, Brian Brenner explores the creative reuses of demolished bridges: https://bit.ly/43UDrT6.

Minneapolis-based Miller Dunwiddie has acquired Bentz Thomspon Rietow, a local design firm known for its work in higher education, parks and libraries.

Towards the end of last year The British Museum named the winner of its contest to upgrade both its north and south entrances. The winning submission was by Studio Weave working alongside GSA Graduate founded Wright & Wright Architects (Sandy Wright and Clare Wright, RIBA, MBE.), Webb Yates Engineers, Tom Massey Studio and Daisy Froud. The project is intended as a ‘rapid, high-quality’ response to improve the museum’s arrival experience, which currently involves an open-air queuing system and a series of temporary tent-like structures for security screening. The central London museum receives more than 6 million visitors annually. The scheme is intended to serve as a precursor to a permanent project reconsidering the complex’s relationship to its surrounding public realm. This is expected in a later phase of the museum’s ongoing regeneration masterplan. https://lnkd.in/ejQDf-qy Find out more via Architects’ Journal online: https://lnkd.in/ejQDf-qy Image: Winning concept Design by Studio Weave with Wright and Wright Architects, Webb Yates Engineers, Tom Massey Studio and Daisey Froud. ©️Studio Weave

This recent article from The Christian Science Monitor on Destination Crenshaw highlights the need for cultural design and intentional public/private investments -- something so necessary can feel like gentrification if we collectively turn our back on what improvement is needed for the people living in our communities today. Surviving or flourishing is our choice. Crenshaw chooses FLOURSHING.

More work from the MArch studio at the School of Architecture and Design University for the Creative Arts. This term, students have been developing models via collage to explore hybrid housing typologies. Next term we will be taking these experiments into the Kent Downs where students will propose new rural housing at the scale of the small village or hamlet. Work by: Abhishek Girish Migi Jacob Sara Rahali Rhys Preston Gayathry Kumar Will Clayson Adam Simmonds Andra Neamtu Nilin Baiju Salaheddine Benjilali