Archinect - News

Theaster Gates partners with Philadelphia arts initiative on revitalization project

2024-06-04T14:29:00-04:00

Philadelphia’s Forman Arts Initiative (FAI) announced that it has bought and is developing almost a whole block in the city’s West Kensington neighbourhood as a museum and community centre—with help from the artist Theaster Gates and local architects Digsau and Ian Smith Design Group. The campus will open in stages over the next two years, starting later this summer with a public outdoor space.

Gates is also currently, among many other things, involved in a community revitalization effort for the new St. Laurence Arts Incubator in Chicago and National Museums Liverpool's waterfront development in partnership with Asif Khan.

Listen back to our Archinect Sessions podcast conversation with him here.

Theaster Gates’ Rebuild Foundation adds to leadership team in Chicago

2023-07-21T14:24:00-04:00

The celebrated ongoing restoration of Chicago’s St. Laurence elementary school by the Theaster Gates’ Rebuild Foundation has added new leadership to support the $10.35 million project, which broke ground on the city’s South Side in May 2022.

The Foundation shares that Nonprofit Operations Strategist Racheal Allen, Special Collections Librarian Heather Hummons, and Director of Finance Mileak Harper have all been hired in support of the initiative, which seeks to “[support] artists of color and their livelihoods, while bringing new cultural resources into the South Side community.”

Once completed the project will deliver a total of 40,000-square-feet 40,000 square feet of artist studios, co-working floors, a research archive, classrooms, and spaces dedicated to various objects from the Foundation's own collection.

Previously on Archinect: Theaster Gates' newest community arts incubator breaks ground on Chicago's South Side

In a statement, Gates said: “Central to the redemption of St. L...

Theaster Gates and other 2023 Noguchi award winners reflect on his influence

2023-07-03T18:59:00-04:00

Theaster Gates and his fellow cohort of 2023 Isamu Noguchi Award winners recently gave an interview to Art Basel’s online publication in order to provide depth and detail as to the aspects of the storied artist's work that has propelled them creatively in their various endeavors.

The 49-year-old pioneer of social practice expanded on comments he made after the announcement, where he called the Award “one of the highest honors I could receive.” He pointed to a lecture given by Martin Puryear at the Art Institute of Chicago as sparking his interest in Noguchi, before quipping that Noguchi's designs, much like his own work, offered the world "excellent craftsmanship; values rooted in animistic philosophies that understand that the spiritual life within things should be respected and protected; and a conviction that the public deserves exceptionally made things.

“What moved me so deeply was that Noguchi was not afraid to scale ideas and the language of his work was rooted between natur...

National Museums Liverpool releases new Asif Khan and Theaster Gates-led waterfront development proposals

2023-04-19T15:06:00-04:00

Weeks after the announcement that David Adjaye and Mariam Kamara would be leaving the project, National Museums Liverpool (NML) has unveiled its revised vision for the redevelopment of the city’s waterfront area co-authored by Asif Khan and Theaster Gates respectively.

Under their direction, a pair of interconnected proposals are now being advanced. The scope of the projects includes a newly-created public realm, pedestrian footbridge, and visitors’ pavilion in the place of two historic dry docks that are linked to the overhauled International Slavery Museum, Maritime Museum, and the Museum of Liverpool, which all tell their story.

Image courtesy National Museums Liverpool (NML)

The NML says it hopes the development will work to present a “prototype for a fresh new mode of co-production between community partners and museums.”

Image courtesy National Museums Liverpool (NML)

Khan says the project must in the end work to help the city recon...

David Adjaye, Mariam Kamara depart major Liverpool waterfront project

2023-03-29T17:04:00-04:00

Two big-name architects are departing from the National Museums Liverpool (NML) scheme to create a new public realm at the city’s Canning Dock, according to a report published earlier today by the Architects’ Journal.

David Adjaye and Mariam Kamara are now out of the project team for the redevelopment, which includes Asif Khan, Theaster Gates, Arup, and a host of other UK-based firms.

The team first was first announced as the winners of an international competition in October of 2021. Adjaye will reportedly remain on to finish their International Slavery Museum and Maritime Museum restorations, which are both separate projects. Neither architect has provided a statement addressing the changes at press time.

An aerial view of Canning Dock. Image: Gary W. Smith

A spokesperson from the museum told AJ simply, “Once the direction of the project was established, the collective agreed that Khan and Gates would take the project forward.”

Ultimately, the £75 million ($92.4 million) project wi...

Rowan Moore picks his favorite UK projects for 2022

2022-12-30T15:22:00-05:00

Playful, elegant additions to universities and colleges were the class acts to follow, while the newly opened Elizabeth line exceeded all design expectations.

Grimshaw’s long-awaited Elizabeth Line finished second (behind Grafton’s Marshall Building for the LSE). Moore said: “The Elizabeth line, when it finally opened in May, revealed an alternative universe of underground railway travel where everything is bigger, brighter and swisher. This is due to the sheer scale of the stations and to their design – unified and orderly but also curvaceous and a touch baroque.”

Notably absent were any projects by the new Soane Medal winner Peter Barber, any other social housing projects, or the Stirling Prize-winning The New Library, Magdalene College from Niall McLaughlin. The Guardian critic did say he admired Theaster Gates’ community building-inspired Serpentine Pavilion, adding that the all-black design “nicely captured shadow and light and views of surrounding greenery.”

'A bit too slick': What the critics are saying about Theaster Gates' Serpentine Pavilion debut

2022-06-08T15:38:00-04:00

Theaster Gates’ hotly-anticipated debut as the first non-architect to win the Serpentine Pavilion commission has been causing quite a buzz online since premiering for the press yesterday in London’s historic Kensington Gardens.

The installation has thus far been received domestically as a mostly disappointing premiere, garnering two-star reviews in both The Times and Evening Standard, which labeled the effort “simple to the point of simplistic.”

“The vertical spruce planks ringing the exterior feel more like a garden fence than a dado, for instance,” critic Robert Bevan described. “But the strangest decision has been to insert a full-height vertical plank partition, which divides the main space, rendering the circular volume unreadable.”

Previously on Archinect: Theaster Gates' Serpentine Pavilion opens as a shrine to community building and sacred practices

Architects’ Journal editor Rob Wilson picked out the limitations of the design, stating that, in his view, “it feels like the...

Theaster Gates' Serpentine Pavilion opens as a shrine to community building and sacred practices

2022-06-07T13:53:00-04:00

Theaster Gates' Serpentine Pavilion has been revealed in London's Kensington Gardens, showcasing his vision for a Black Chapel that advances the fair's evangelizing mission to be an incubator for community building, civic culture, and public engagement.

In a circular form evoking several architectural traditions and cultures, including traditional African structures and Hungarian round churches, the pavilion is rendered in the same stark-looking black tar color as the suite of 14 new paintings Gates executed for the exhibition, providing an additional reference to the meditative elements present in Houston's Rothko Chapel, which the 48-year-old artist credited as an additional source of design inspiration.

Gates conceives of his pavilion as “a site for contemplation and convening” where gatherers are hailed together artistically in remembrance of lost places of “spiritual communion” that populate urban areas like London and his hometown of Chicago. It was executed with design help...

Theaster Gates' newest community arts incubator breaks ground on Chicago's South Side

2022-05-10T17:22:00-04:00

On the heels of another recent multimillion-dollar community revitalization effort through his non-profit Rebuild Foundation, 2022 Serpentine Pavilion designer Theaster Gates was back in the South Side last week to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new St. Laurence Arts Incubator in Chicago.

Joined by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Gates spoke about the new $10.35 million project, which will transform a disused elementary school — shuttered since 2002 — into a “think tank and makerspace” for local artists with 40,000 square feet of studios, co-working, research, educational, and entrepreneurial spaces. The new initiative joins Gates’ Prada-backed Dorchester Industries Experimental Design Lab, also located on the South Side, that was announced last summer.

Image courtesy of the Rebuild Foundation

“The St. Laurence renovation is a work of art in and of itself," local philanthropist Alec Litowitz said in a statement prior to the May 3rd groundbreaking ceremony. "Resurrecting this ab...

A first look at the 2022 Serpentine Pavilion designed by Theaster Gates

2022-02-03T10:47:00-05:00

The first details for the design of the 2022 Serpentine Pavilion have been released. Designed by Chicago-based artist Theaster Gates, and titled Black Chapel, the scheme draws inspiration from the industrial kilns of the English midlands, resulting in a cylindrical wooden structure with a punctured dome roof.

Designed in collaboration with Adjaye Associates, the pavilion is intended to be a “place of quietude” in the aftermath of COVID-19, with a programme of concerts and events including a performance by Gates and his band, the Black Monks. Gates describes the pavilion as a “chapel for new music” including ““Gospel, alt-jazz, avant garde sounds, the history of British black music, Gregorian and Benedictine chants – all the things me and my band are into.”

Architecturally, the 36-foo...

Theaster Gates has been awarded the Frederick Kiesler Prize for Architecture and the Arts

2021-09-14T15:27:00-04:00

Artist, educator, and urban planner Theaster Gates has been awarded the Frederick Kiesler Prize for Architecture and the Arts by the Austrian Frederick and Lillian Kiesler Private Foundation.

The 55,000 Euro ($65,000 USD) prize, awarded every two years by the Republic of Austria and the City of Vienna, recognizes outstanding achievement in architecture and the arts that relate to artist, designer, set designer, and architect Frederick Kiesler’s experimental and innovative approach to the arts.

“Spatial platforms that highlight the contributions of Black artists and designers have been long overlooked,” says Theaster Gates. “Projects that consider people as much as they consider the implications of the built form deserve merit. I’m so grateful to be part of this precedent and honored that the selection committee would acknowledge my practice as part of the amazing work by luminaries who have received this award in the past. I’m thankful to all who have supported my practice both wi...

Theaster Gates teams up with Prada to launch incubator for emerging designers of color

2021-09-02T17:01:00-04:00

Theaster Gates is teaming up with Prada to launch a program that will support and invest in up-and-coming artists and designers of color.

Dorchester Industries, the design and manufacturing arm of Theaster Gates Studio, in partnership with Gates’ Rebuild Foundation and Prada Group, announced the launch of the Dorchester Industries Experimental Design Lab. Based on the South Side of Chicago, it is a three-year program that will serve as a platform for artists of color by creating opportunities to amplify their work, invest in their development, and expose them to organizations looking to work with diverse talent.

Designers in the areas of fashion, furniture, industrial and graphic design, and the arts will be trained, funded, and mentored through design awards and public programming. It will provide a platform for exhibitions, performances, and public dialogue, creating “a nucleus of design intelligence on the South Side,” as stated on Gates’ Instagram.

Related on Archinect: A Con...

Theaster Gates leading $4.5 million revitalization of garden in Chicago's South Side

2021-07-29T18:19:00-04:00

Adding to his ongoing effort to transform neglected areas of Chicago’s South Side into sustainable community spaces, artist, educator, and urban planner Theaster Gates is embarking on a $4.5 million revitalization of a garden.

The 1.3-acre Kenwood Gardens is located in Chicago’s Grand Crossing neighborhood, which is home to a number of Gates’ restoration projects. Most notably, there's the Stony Island Arts bank, a public arts space and library, that was formerly a fully operating local bank.

For the garden, Gates, along with head of planting for the garden, Chris Abraham, envision spaces for educational programming, meditation, and community-focused gardening. The once overgrown plot of land will be converted into an oasis, featuring Minnie Pearl Phlox, Lilac Squirrel, and more.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Theaster Gates (@theastergates)

So far, $1.5 million worth of work has been completed, denoted as phase one, which is about beautifying the...

Sir David Adjaye receives RIBA Gold Medal at illustrious virtual event

2021-05-28T17:14:00-04:00

Earlier this week, on May 26th, celebrated Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye formally received the 2021 Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Royal Gold Medal in a virtual ceremony. Surprise luminaries from around the world, including former U.S. President Barack Obama and U2 singer Bono, participated to congratulate Adjaye on his historic accomplishment.

Calling in from Ghana, Adjaye received his award from the UK’s high commissioner to Ghana, Iain Walker, on behalf of the Queen.

Sir David Adjaye receives the RIBA 2021 Royal Gold Medal for Architecture, presented by the British High Commissioner Iain Walker. Image: RIBA/Francis Kokoroko 2021

“It’s incredibly humbling and a great honor to have my peers recognize the work I have developed with my team and its contribution to the field over the past 25 years,” Adjaye said upon hearing the news that he received the Royal Gold Medal. “Architecture, for me, has always been about the creation of beauty to edify all people...

Theaster Gates to design the 2022 Serpentine Pavilion

2021-05-18T17:34:00-04:00

Artist and urban planner Theaster Gates has been selected to design the 2022 Serpentine Pavilion. This will be the first time that the Serpentine Gallery has awarded this commission to a non-architect. Gates is currently a professor at the Department of Visual Arts at the University of Chicago. Utilizing his background in urban planning, his work focuses on space theory and land development, sculpture, and performance, integrating sound, motion, Black history, and architectural features.

His most famous work, the ongoing Dorchester Projects, began in 2008 in the wake of the financial crisis when Gates bought a number of rundown properties on Chicago’s South Side, where he grew up and currently lives. In collaboration with architects and designers, he converted these derelict buildings into community centers and cultural institutions. He also repurposed the scrap within these sites as art and injected the money made back into the neighborhood. Projects include the Archive House, for...

Meejin Yoon, Walter Hood, and Kathryn Gustafson among newly elected members of the 2021 American Academy of Arts and Letters

2021-03-08T13:14:00-05:00

The American Academy of Arts and Letters awards three architects and three landscape architects as new Academy members. Founded in 1898, each selected cohort becomes a part of an honors society comprised of architects, artists, composers, and writers. Once elected, they become members for life

Twenty-nine new members have been inducted as honorary members for their work and contributions. The Academy's board shares they are "committed to creating a more inclusive membership that truly represents America, and believes that expanding the Academy's membership will allow the Academy to more readily achieve that goal. The increase also reflects the growth in population over the past century. The expansion will be realized incrementally over the next five years."

Meejin Yoon of Höweler + Yoon Architecture

Meejin Yoon. Photo by Andy Ryan.

Founder partner of Höweler + Yoon Architecture alongside Eric Höweler, Yoon is also the first female Dean at the College of Architecture, Art and Planning...

Early highlight contributors announced for 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial

2019-03-14T15:25:00-04:00

The curators for the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial have announced early highlight contributors who will create newly commissioned projects and other materials for the exhibition.

The initial list is comprised of 51 practices and practitioners from 19 countries. It includes architects, artists, collectives, and researchers, whose work touches on the biennial's four curatorial focus areas: land, memory, rights, and civic participation.

Among the designers tasked with exploring the theme of land is Chicago-based architect Theaster Gates, who will challenge the concept of land as property and commodity. Also participating will be Wolff Architects, a design studio in South Africa that works at the nexus of design, advocacy, research and documentation, as well as Territorial Agency, Caroline Caycedo, and Joar Nango.

The design collaborative MASS Design Group, best known for their community-driven approaches, will look at sites of memory. Other contributors whose projects will dive in...

A Conversation with Theaster Gates; Archinect Sessions Episode #136

2019-02-14T19:13:00-05:00

This week on Archinect Sessions we’re sharing our inspiring conversation with Theaster Gates. For those of you who aren’t already familiar with Theaster, you’re in for a treat. Theaster Gates often refers to himself as a potter, and while it’s true that he is, through years of training and practice, he’s also an extremely talented multidisciplinary artist, urban planner and community-focused social activist.

Theaster may be most well known for his non-profit Rebuild Foundation. The foundation purchases abandoned buildings in the south side of Chicago, the neighborhood Theaster grew up and still resides in, and transforms them into beautiful community hubs that connect and inspire the local residents through art, creativity, and professional skill training.

Gates work extends into academia as well. He is a full professor in the Department of Visual Arts at the University of Chicago, where he is also a Senior Advisor for Cultural Innovation and Advisor to the Dean. It’s in this con...

Watch Theaster Gates give moving speech as he receives Honorary Doctorate from UAL

2018-07-20T15:15:00-04:00

Receiving an Honorary Doctorate this morning from the University of the Arts London, American artist, curator, urbanist and facilitator Theaster Gates gave an unforgettable address about the functions of creative practice. Known for his long-running work of socially engaged art in the South Side of Chicago, his work focuses on space theory and land development, sculpture and performance.

In the following speech, Gates talks about what it means to be an artist and the importance of its continued pursuit. “I have never felt more confident that to be an artist is one of the greatest vocations in the world," he said. "You guys have the capacity to dream and fight and this world needs you right now more than it’s ever needed any creative class.” Watch the full speech below!

Diébédo Francis Kéré announced as Brunner Prize winner by American Academy of Arts and Letters

2017-03-29T19:20:00-04:00

The American Academy of Arts and Letters has announced the recipients of its 2017 architecture awards. Intended to honor architects whose work is characterized by a strong personal direction, this year's winners were chosen from a group of 27 individuals and practices nominated by members of the Academy. On the jury, were Elizabeth Diller, Henry N. Cobb, Peter Eisenman, Kenneth Frampton, Hugh Hardy, Steven Holl, Thom Mayne, James Polshek, Robert A.M. Stern, Billie Tsien, and Tod Williams.

The top prize, the Arnold W. Brunner Memorial Prize in Architecture, is given to a preeminent architect from any country who has made a significant contribution to architecture as art. The 2017 recipient is Diébédo Francis Kéré, who is having quite the year. He was recently announced as this years designer of the Serpentine Pavilion as well. Kéré is known for his socially driven and sustainable approach to architecture. Based in Berlin and Gando, his hometown in Burkina Faso, Kéré has brought his co...

Architecture as urban regeneration: Theaster Gates, Art + Practice, and Assemble

2015-11-03T18:19:00-05:00

Most architects don’t build economic engines into their projects, and [Assemble's Anna] Lisogorskaya is quick to note that this type of intervention doesn’t make sense everywhere. [...] But she does argue that things such as economic sustainability and local jobs are inherently interconnected with any effort to rehabilitate a neighbourhood. The architecture is only part of the project, and can only do so much on its own.