February 15, 2023
The architecture and design field has changed a lot over time. Many of the changes have been because of changing trends, such as going from classic designs to Romanesque, but others have occurred due to a societal shift. One of the changes that society pushed for was the diversification of the art field. The white male-dominated field slowly started to welcome women and minorities. As a young Black architectural designer who recently entered the field, this is one change I am grateful for and celebrate, eager to play a part in the field only further diversifying.
As a native Detroiter – a city that’s majority Black – many people are shocked when I say I did not learn about architecture, nonetheless of any Black architects, in school. I knew as early as age four that I wanted to be an artist, but I only knew about the traditional type of art at that point. It was not until I started sixth grade and began watching “Build It Bigger,” hosted by Danny Forster, that I learned about architecture. That show served as my only introduction to the field and continued to be all the way until I entered 11th grade at Renaissance High School, a Detroit Public School.
To this day, when sharing my experience with others about my path, I always bring up how career exposure starts in school. While attending Renaissance, I participated in a semester-long architectural pilot program through the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture. The program targeted minority schools and was ultimately what solidified my career choice before going to college.
Because of that experience, I’ve constantly questioned why more Black, Brown, and other minority youth aren’t exposed to architecture as a career in school. There are so many programs or current Black architects that would love to share the knowledge of how they can build the world. I am also a great testament to how those types of programs work and am proud to say that I graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture and Community Development in 2021 with my Master of Architecture.
During college, I realized that this field is not for the weak. All architects and designers will say that – and it is not to detour you but to tell you the truth. And as a person of color, it is just a little bit harder, which the stats show. Out of all licensed architects, only approximately 2% are Black. And why is this number so low? Again: lack of exposure in school; lack of seeing Black people in the field; lack of resources to attend architecture school. And once in college, there is also a lack of support that fosters completion, although more initiatives are being created to combat this. For example, the National Organization for Minority Architects (NOMA) has organized chapters for students and professionals to support, fellowship, and promote design development within the urban fabric.
But it’s nice to know that once you make it through school, you have so many options. I describe architecture as the umbrella of the design field. There are many branches that stem from the trunk: graphic designer, furniture design, interior design, exhibit designer, model maker, and the list goes on. Having these many avenues allows for job security that other fields cannot achieve as easily. For example, after graduating, I started my career as an architectural model maker and sign fabricator, which was my dream job. I recently transitioned and am now an exhibit designer for a museum. Both are two different roles, but my architectural background has brought me the opportunity of choice.
So, despite the architecture field still being dominated by white men, the advancement and dynamics of women, Black people, and other minorities only continue to progress. And to this day, I make it a point to recognize the Black architects that paved the way for new young professionals like me: Paul Revere Williams, Beverly Loraine Greene, Moses McKissack III, and Donald White (also Michigan’s first licensed Black architect in the early 1950s).
Written by Korzell Coe
