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Hip Hop Meets Architecture in Detroit Design Center

“The Aesthetics of Equity,” combines arch. prof.’s hip hop ideas with mentoring…

Article by Dennis Archambault
from Model D

A graduate student in Cultural Studies at the University of Minnesota, Craig Wilkins was struck by how people define space at hip hop raves. In the midst of dance, human presence defines architecture, not the other way around.

An avid dancer, Wilkins hung out at raves in the Minneapolis area when Prince was rising in popularity. He was fascinated with how music and dancing creates an identity and function for space.

“No matter how many different kinds of people come to a rave, there’s a moment in that rave where everybody’s on the same page. Everybody’s in the same place, whether that place is in a warehouse, an open field… I’m like, man that’s a phenomenal, wonderful thing. Are there any other ways that can happen? How might I be able to make that architectural? Basically what architects do is shape space. If music can help create space and can help create identity, what kind of identity would a hip hop space make?”

Fast forward 20 years, Wilkins is in Detroit, a professor of architecture at the University of Michigan and the director of the university’s Detroit Community Design Center. He dances less, but retains an appreciation of hip hop and the notion that human activity defines architecture, not the other way around.

Wilkins, an African American in a field representing few like him, has combined his hip hop ideas with mentoring young African-American students in an innovative book, “The Aesthetics of Equity,” published last year by the University of Minnesota Press. A manifesto on hip hop architecture for professionals and students that challenges the traditional view of architecture and its inclusion of African Americans, the book is written in two voices – that of a scholar and a student. The hip-hop sections tend to be shorter and wittier, but no less complete than the academic sections, written in proper scholarly rhetoric.

Born in the poverty of the Bronx, “hip hop culture has taken things considered garbage, has rescued them and taken things that have been considered dispensable and made them indispensable,” he says. The use of turntables and scratchy LPs, at a time when CDs were defining recorded sound, became a laboratory of sound. “What they did was rescue the turntable, and they used it in a way that it was not designed for. The turntable is a passive instrument. You play a record on it. They used in a diametrically opposed way. It’s an active instrument now.”

Culturally, hip hop created an avenue for “dispensable” people to become “indispensable.” To get out of the Bronx, “you either had to be shockingly brilliant, which is almost impossible to do with the quality of the schools, or you had to be physically talented; you had to be a basketball player, a football player, something. … Hip hop changed the rules. You could take a cassette player, go in the basement of your parent’s house and rap all day, come out and sell it and become an entrepreneur. And eventually you sell it to a record company and how you become a recording artist. From there you become yet another kind of entrepreneur.”

Wilkins reasons that you can also make “dispensable” material “indispensable” in architecture. “(Hip hop) had huge possibilities in terms of sustainability … If it can be realized, it is groundbreaking. It would bring together all of the things I want to do in my architectural career — not only doing aesthetically pleasing work but do work that means something beyond the fact that it is a beautiful object; it addresses a critical, meaningful concern.

“We don’t bulldoze buildings like we used to, because that just creates waste. We now deconstruct buildings so we can those materials again. The entire argument for sustainability comes out of the hip hop mentality. What sustainability is about is using things in an efficient manner, rethinking how material gets used and how material gets made.

“What we’ve come to understand about space is a very Cartesian (philosopher Rene Descartes) view of space – this wide, that long…that abstract notion of space. Hip hop space is not like that at all. Hip hop space is a space that only becomes a space when people are in it; when people interact with it.

“How do we know we are in a classroom? From a Lockean (philosopher John Locke) perspective, we know we’re in four walls that have defined the space… from a hip hop perspective, those things don’t matter. The reason you know you’re in a classroom is because there is a teacher and a student and they are interacting…and that teacher, in that interaction, can become the student, as the student can become a teacher.”

Wilkins’ connection between architecture and music is both traditional and innovative, says Kenneth Crutcher, president of the Detroit Chapter of the National Organization for Minority Architects and adjunct lecturer at Lawrence Technological University. Architecture, he says, has been referred to as “frozen music.” What’s different is that Wilkins says hip hop not only defines the artistic appearance of a structure, but the function of its design. Most significant, hip hop “is an African American invention.” Our perception of space and aesthetics are based on Western tradition, he says, concurring with Wilkins. “To apply an African American art form like hip hop to architecture is significant.”

Crutcher, whose architecture firm, Crutcher Studio, designed Lola’s restaurant in Harmony Park/Paradise Valley, says that hip hop has permeated culture on all levels and has become a universal music genre. Many architects have drawn their ideas from hip hop, though few may have noticed. “Some of their edgy styles and use of raw materials, whether they admit it or not, (has) urban feel, urban character.”

As an educator, Crutcher also appreciates Wilkins’ effort to write the book in a student dialect. Chapter 4, “Space-Action,” is required reading in his design studio. The concept of space being taught when he was a student was not something familiar to Crutcher’s experience growing up in Detroit. “There was no translation. You had to do a lot of reading and some of it didn’t make sense” Wilkins explains that “this is what the professor will say to you and this is what he’s really saying.”

In the “Remix” section of Chapter 4, Wilkins writes: “So dig. There is another way of looking at space, eh? Who knew? Actually, there is a shit load of ways, but first, let’s look at ol’ Lockey (John Locke) boy again. He really believes that the only way we can know space is to touch it or see it. That’s an interesting point – but is that really true?”

Although Wilkins’ book is directed to African American students and colleagues, it has a universal quality. “A lot of the themes I talk about in the book are beyond people of color,” he says.

“When you talk about the way in which we are taught to see the world … it allows for certain things to happen and it excludes certain things. When I talk about looking at space as designers – not from an abstract perspective but from an engaged perspective, a real perspective that puts people at the center of the creation of space, not on the periphery of the space, that transcends color; it has nothing to do with color.

“What it comes down to, as a designer, what do you think your responsibility is? Is it to the form of the building or the people who inhabit it? Is it to the client who pays for the building or is it society that has to interact with that building? Those things have no color.”

If architecture abruptly changes, like break dancing, this could be a moment where “a rupture in the dance is necessary,” says Wilkins. “The old solutions no longer apply. Our problems at this time are different. Architecture should be about that, about responding to society now, all of society, for the future.”

In a place like Detroit, where there hasn’t been much building going on lately, and many questions loom about its economic and social future, Craig Wilkins projects a street-smart prophetic vision: “Let’s get started … It’s gonna be a lil’ sumpin’ sumpin’ special.”

Dennis Archambault lives in Detroit and writes for Model D.

Tint Magazine Online Internship

Tint Magazine Online Internship

Employer: Tint Magazine “Celebrating Women of Every Color”

Internships Available: editorial, graphic design, illustration, web production, and photography

Website: http://www.tintmagazine.com/

Job Description: The Tint Magazine Online Internship is available to students between the ages of 18-29. You will have the opportunity to receive credit for the work you do. You must sign up for an internship through your college and work in conjunction with Tint Magazine to design a program that fulfills individual internship credit requirements. There are five different unpaid internships available in editorial, graphic design, illustration, web production, and photography.

Interaction Designer – Frog Design HR

Job Details
Company: Frog Design HR
Location: US – SAN FRANCISCO, California
Job Level: Mid-Level Staff
Field: Interaction Design
Job Functions: User Experience, Web Design, Web Development

Description:
Frog Design is a global innovation firm.
We work with the world’s leading companies, helping them create and bring to market meaningful products, services, and experiences. Our multidisciplinary process reveals valuable consumer and market insights and inspires lasting, humanizing solutions. With a team of more than 400 designers, technologists, strategists, and analysts, we deliver fully convergent experiences that span multiple technologies, platforms, and media. We work across a broad spectrum of industries, including consumer electronics, telecommunications, healthcare, media, education, finance, retail, and fashion. Our clients include Disney, GE, HP, Logitech, Microsoft, MTV, Seagate, Yahoo! and others.

Founded in 1969, frog is headquartered in San Francisco, with studios in Austin, New York, San Jose, Seattle, Milan, Amsterdam, Stuttgart, and Shanghai.

Frog Design is seeking a Brew developer for an on-site contract role. The project is expected to last six months. The ideal candidate will be someone who has very strong Brew mobile development skills and has worked with rich user interfaces, object-oriented design, data modeling, application development, and has taken projects through an entire software release lifecycle.

Please submit your resume online to: http://www.frogdesign.com/jobs

Frog Design is an equal opportunity employer.

Interested? Please reply with your resume and portfolio/URL.

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Animator / Character Designer – American Greetings

Job Details
Company: American Greetings
Location: US – Los Angeles, California
Job Level: Mid-Level Staff
Field: Interaction Design
Job Functions: Illustration, Motion Graphics

Description
Animator / Character Designer: In this role, the Creative Developer uses creativity and knowledge of graphics software to create online greetings and other content.

The Creative Developer plans the design aesthetics and visual interpretation of product, assuring the content is creative, sendable, error-free and produced on time.

The Creative Developer accomplishes this through personal efforts, and with minimal supervision of daily personal workload balancing.

The Creative Developer is also responsible for performing Quality Control procedures as related to the content they create.

Successful candidates for this role exhibit:
-Strong understanding of traditional animation principles
- Superior artistic skills in illustration, Flash animation and character design
-Strong storytelling skills
-Ability to create & adapt to a breadth of styles
-Ability to prioritize and handle multiple projects in order to meet tight deadlines

Qualifications:
- Degree or certificate in classical animation, film, or related field, or equivalent production animation experience
- Must have a demo reel that demonstrates application of the principles of animation
-Must have proven skills in Flash
-Knowledge of Photoshop and Illustrator
-After Effects and/or 3D skills are a HUGE plus!

Must be willing to take a short animation test, if requested.

Specific Skills
Experience: One to five years of position in creative capacity (i.e ad agency, graphic design, freelance business)

Technical Competencies Required:
Experience with Macromedia Flash (minimum 2 years)
Experience with Adobe Photoshop (minimum 2 years)
Experience with Macromedia Freehand or Adobe Illustrator (minimum 2 years)
Basic Internet knowledge (including most common web graphic file formats)
Basic knowledge of simple HTML coding
PC (windows) operating system (Macintosh OS knowledge is a plus)

Education Required: Bachelor’s Degree
BA / BFA in Graphic Design and/or Illustration
Web-Based Applications

Apply Through Our Web Site

Submission Details
- a URL to an online portfolio
- electronic samples on CD (JPG or PDF format)

American Greetings Corp.
attn: Creative Staffing
1 AmericanRoad
Cleveland, Ohio 44144

American Greetings is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and a drug-free workplace.

NOTE:
Candidates who are not US citizens or permanent residents need to have authorization to work in the US in order to apply.

Senior Industrial Designer – aruliden

Job Details
Company: aruliden
Location: US – New York
Job Level: Senior Staff
Field: Industrial Design
Job Functions: 3D Modeling & CAD, Design, Model Making & Prototyping

Description
We are a rapidly growing creative studio merging design and marketing by creating powerful product platforms.

General Requirements:
We are looking for a Senior industrial designer with 5+ year of experience who is enthusiastic to work on iconic brands in the beauty/fashion/technology/spirits industries in a fast-pace environment.

The primary focus of this position is to partner with the principles in the creative development.

The Senior designer is responsible for leading concurrently running, multiple projects from inception through completion in addition to working with various vendors and clients on project timing and costs. The job requires exceptional strategic thinking, ideation, sketching, 3D and product storytelling skills.

Specific Skills
You must be hands on and curious to learn. Extremely organized, with strong communication skills in addition to excellent computer skills in traditional design applications.

• 5+ years experience in similar position
• Ability to work in a fast paced environment
• Strong strategic thinker
• Ability to lead and motivate employees at all levels within the studio.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to express ideas clearly through sketches.
• Proficient in 3D modeling and rendering.
• Proficient with relative software, including but not limited to Photoshop, Illustrator, In Design, Word and PowerPoint.

Apply Via Email
id2@aruliden.com

Submission Details
Please include portfolio with submission.

NOTE:
Candidates who are not US citizens or permanent residents need to have authorization to work in the US in order to apply.

Graphic Designer – aruliden

Job Details
Company: aruliden
Location: US – New York
Job Level: Mid-Level Staff
Field: Graphic Design
Job Functions: Art Direction, Creative Direction, Design, Motion Graphics, Packaging

Description
We are a rapidly growing creative studio merging the gap between marketing and design by creating powerful brand and product platforms.

General Responsibilities:
Work across a variety of brands to create brand identities, brand collateral, product packaging, inspiring visual presentations and other brand, marketing and design related projects in a fast-paced environment. Work directly with brand managers and industrial designers to initiate the ideation process for new projects and bring graphic design expertise to the team.

Execute design files from the team into production/pre-press ready files.
Support the implementation and maintenance of image/file cataloging, archiving and backup program.
Specific Skills

2-5 years experience with design firm or in house design division.
Please do not forward work samples if you do not fit this criteria.

• Interest to work across a variety of brands.
• Strong ability to express ideas clearly graphically/visually
• Proficient with relative software, including but not limited to Photoshop, Illustrator, In Design, Word and PowerPoint.
• Ability to interact positively and effectively with employees at all levels within the organization, as well as with customers, prospects, and vendors.
• Proficient with Mac
• Flash and/or motion graphics skills a plus
• Information Design and storyboarding experience a plus

Apply Via Email
graphic@aruliden.com

Submission Details
Please include your portfolio in your submission and any website references.

NOTE:
Candidates who are not US citizens or permanent residents need to have authorization to work in the US in order to apply.

Graphic Design Intern – aruliden

Job Details
Company: aruliden
Location: US – New York, New York
Job Level: Intern
Field: Graphic Design
Job Functions: Art Direction, Design, Flash Programming, Illustration, Motion Graphics

Description
Entry-level position. Seeking energetic, eager candidate to support all areas of visual communication, design and management for small boutique agency. Ideal candidate is a self-starter with a strong visual communications background and strong organizational and communication skills.
Specific tasks will include: research & image gathering, document layout and production, branding and logo ideation.

This position is full time and reports directly to Manager of Visual Brand Strategy.

Specific Skills
• Working knowledge of basic graphic design tools and process (Adobe Creative Suite)
• Strong visual design skills
• Working Flash knowledge
• Willingness to support all levels of design staff (ID, graphic, strategy)
• Great positive attitude and self-motivation
• Excellent organizational skills

Apply Via Email
graphic@aruliden.com

Submission Details
Please send portfolio of work samples and resume

NOTE:
Candidates who are not US citizens or permanent residents need to have authorization to work in the US in order to apply.