Atlanta—Commercial flooring solutions provider Shaw Contract partnered with the Hip Hop Architecture Camp to share the foundations of architecture, urban planning and design with Atlanta youth. From July 15-18, students at the Shaw Contract Atlanta showroom will use hip hop as the inspiration for designing places that better the community.
Architect Michael Ford of BrandNu Design Studio founded the Hip Hop Architecture Camp in 2016. Since then, Ford—along with partnering community activists, musical artists and industry professionals—has introduced nearly 3,000 youth around the country to the concept of urban planning, placemaking and architecture through an immersive week-long experience. Campers are empowered to visualize better communities through the exploration of hip hop music, physical and digital modeling and creative expression.
The architecture and design (A&D) industry is greatly under-represented by black Americans. Though black Americans represent nearly 13% of the labor force, only 4.9% of designers are black and just 2% of architects are black.
“The lack of diversity in our field propelled me to create the camp,” Ford said. “Planning for the future requires us to involve our youth. Music is the great connector and has served as a catalyst for inspiring the next generation.”
Shaw Contract first partnered with Ford in 2023 on the co-designed Mike Ford and Shaw Contract rug collection. Ford’s mission and the Hip Hop Architecture Camp are said to align with the brand’s Neutral is Not Enough call to action, which challenges the design community to take action to create a better future for people and planet.
“We are proud to bring this incredible opportunity to Atlanta and hope to create a future generation of architects and designers,” said Carrie Edwards Isaac, vice president of marketing for Shaw Contract. “Sustainability is at the core of our brand. It extends beyond how we care for the earth, but also to how we care for people through the products we create and the spaces we design. By increasing diversity in the design industry, we are furthering representation and inclusive design.”