Monumental, presented by Professor Germane Barnes, Founder Studio Barnes, and 2023 Artistic Director of diaDAS; took the stage with Architect and Designer Nina Cooke John, Artist & Designer Adam Nathaniel Furman, and Principal of Public Memory & Memorials Lab at MASS Jha D Amazi, at Design Miami on December 9.
As historically excluded voices increasingly expose the failures and discriminatory practices of the architecture and urbanism fields, a holistic, constructive examination of these disciplines becomes all the more pressing. Design Justice continues to peak through creases often closed shut by popular architectural theory and discourse.
Within this framework featured a workshop for architecture students and talk for Design Miami attendees. Students were given a prompt to identify an informal monument in their community, in hopes of turning that structure into a formal monument. Designers, theorists, architects, critics, students and patrons were challenged to posit the necessity of monuments through insightful discussion.
“With students representing both the undergraduate and graduate programs, we were able to make a larger impact on the way our education can influence design. This workshop was sponsored by dieDAS, based in Saaleck, Germany and we are forever grateful for their sponsorship,” - Germane Barnes.
