NCARB Presents Hip Hop Architecture Camp in Washington, D.C.
Only 2 percent of architects in the United States are African American, according to the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), indicating little growth among this demographic. But the Hip Hop Architecture Camp—an educational program by Michael Ford—aims to shift this imbalance by introducing underrepresented youth to architecture and urban design through the lens of hip-hop culture.
In late-February, NCARB hosted a free camp for middle school students in Washington, D.C., and invited local architects and designers to serve as mentors. To kick off the week-long program, students transformed hip-hop lyrics into three-dimensional cityscapes using craft supplies. One student based their model on Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s 1982 single, “The Message,” which captures how the built environment impacts urban communities: The places you play and where you stay/Looks like one great big alleyway.