Michael Ford named Young Architect of the Year in Wisconsin

Michael Ford, AIA, recognized globally as The Hip-Hop Architect, has been named one in all three “Younger Architects of the Yr” by the American Institute of Architects Wisconsin Chapter.

The announcement was made on the group’s annual convention at Monona Terrace Wednesday. The opposite two honorees are Matthew Clapper, AIA and Brandon Reinke, AIA. Ford was nominated by Walter Wilson, AIA and Stacey Keller, AIA.

“To me, it means lots,” Ford stated of the dignity. “One, it’s recognition of the work that I’ve been doing not simply this previous yr, however since I got here to Madison in 2010, working to show extra individuals to the career of structure. To me, that is an acknowledgement of that work by our institute. After which the second factor which means to me is for the only a few licensed Black architects that we’ve got within the state. It’s eight of us. And I’m the youngest of that group who’ve their license. It’s a really small variety of us. This award is not only an award for me, it’s an award for all the those that I take advantage of hip hop to introduce structure to.”

Since 2017, Ford’s Hip-Hop Structure camps have uncovered middle-school age college students world wide to the ideas of city design, structure and neighborhood design primarily based on hip-hop aesthetics.

Ford was lately commissioned to create an enormous stone mural for Nationwide Guardian Life Insurace Firm’s renovated workplace house, representing the corporate’s dedication to variety, fairness and inclusion in three dimensions. Different latest and present initiatives embrace the Bronzeville Performing Arts Heart in Milwaukee, the Common Hip-Hop Museum within the Bronx and a digital metaverse house for Madison-based Notorious Moms.

The Younger Artitecht of the Yr Award goes to excellent architects who’ve held their license for fewer than 10 years. Structure is an unusal career in that one can work within the area with out being licensed, and incomes a license is a tough course of with many obstacles — particularly for members of underrepresented communities. In reality, Ford himself was a globally famend architect and concrete designer, partnering with high-status companies like Herman Miller and operating structure camps everywhere in the US, Europe and Africa, for a number of years earlier than formally incomes his license in 2021.

Ford stated this is the reason many younger Black architects work for years below established companies, and sometimes find yourself considerably tokenized.

“You’re doing DEI work at your agency,” he stated. “All the time when there’s a Black undertaking, it’s like, ‘we want you on this Black undertaking.’ And typically our personal wants, we put them on the backburner. Our personal skilled progress, I might put it on the again burner. So I’m assuring individuals you could nonetheless do each. I used to be nonetheless doing my factor because the architect, nonetheless engaged in youth, nonetheless engaged on skilled initiatives, but additionally knocking out the work it took to get get my license as properly.”

Incomes the Younger Architect of the Yr honor in his first yr of eligibility, Ford stated he hopes to make use of his license to supply a expertise pipeline for different Black architects who aren’t but licensed.

“The one distinction is, if you don’t have your license, you must work at a agency, you’re employed below the agency’s license. It was massive for me to get my license in order that I can do my very own work, and hopefully, you recognize, rent different individuals who seem like me to return be part of a agency that acknowledges your uniqueness, and provide the help that you want to get your personal license,” Ford stated.

“It’s a daunting process to obtain your license,” he added. “Particularly for individuals who’ve been working for 10 opr 15 years. It’s like, ‘I don’t want a license. I can proceed to work.’ This award I’m hoping to make use of as a catalyst to encourage extra of our members to go after their license and know that there’s one other stage you may attain in your profession.”