Archinect - News

LA's Destination Crenshaw pushes Sankofa Park opening to February 2024

2023-10-05T14:47:00-04:00

This fall’s anticipated debut of the Sankofa Park component of the new Destination Crenshaw public space redesign from Perkins&Will and Studio-MLA in Los Angeles has been pushed back to February of next year, according to an announcement made Wednesday by the group managing its construction in the city's Leimert Park neighborhood.

The park had previously received $3.4 million in federal funding, which added to another $2.4 million fundraising drive initiated by actress Issa Rae and star NBA guard DeMar DeRozan. Planners have now set Sankofa Park to open on February 24th. It is part of the larger $100 million project that will transform a 1.3-mile corridor into a new arts-oriented civic space. Perkins&Will says it is “destined to be a space for celebrations, protests, and demonstrations of grief and peaceful healing.”

Once it is completed, Sankofa Park will include art installations f...

Destination Crenshaw's Sankofa Park segment sets an opening date for fall 2023

2023-02-01T17:46:00-05:00

LA's Destination Crenshaw initiative has revealed an updated opening day for its largest component along with news of $3.4 million in federal grant contribution that will help further shepherd the project towards its eventual completion later this year.

The development’s Sankofa Park segment will now open in the early fall of this year, according to CEO Jason W. Foster. The beautifully-metaphored nod to the eponymous bird of Akan folklore is designed by Perkins&Will’s award-winning Principal and Director of Global Diversity Gabrielle Bullock and includes art installations from heavyweights such as Alison Saar and Kehinde Wiley, along with additional murals and greenspaces that will be completed in the months immediately following its inauguration.

Sankofa Park. Image: Perkins&Will, courtesy of Destination Crenshaw

Situated along the northern end of the site on the border of the traditionally arts-centric Leimert Park neighborhood, the park is meant as a gathering space for the larger...

Perkins&Will and AIA publish white paper pushing for more Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.)

2021-01-26T11:59:00-05:00

Perkins&Will and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) this week released best practices for creating and implementing comprehensive diversity programs for U.S. firms. In a white paper entitled “Creating a Culture of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Your Architectural Practice,” authors Gabrielle Bullock, FAIA and Bill Schmalz, FAIA push for architecture firms to uphold J.E.D.I. principles to remain relevant to clients, attractive to talent, and competitive in an increasingly diverse world.

"Our industry and society are facing an unprecedented convergence of crises. Economic, health, environmental, social, and racial justice challenges have presented us not just with an opportunity, but also a responsibility, to address them," said Bullock, who has served as director of global diversity at Perkins&Will since 2013, in a statement. "We can elevate the industry by challenging the status quo and reimagining the future by looking through the J.E.D.I. lens."

In addition t...

Archinect Sessions #159: On Racial Inequality in AEC, with Karen Compton

2020-09-28T16:15:00-04:00

On today’s episode of Archinect Sessions Donna and I are joined by Karen Compton, a Los Angeles-based business consultant, business owner and podcast host.

As the Principal at A3K Consulting, Karen oversees a team of professionals to help clients in the AEC industry grow and improve their businesses applying strategy, business planning, education, training and recruitment. Her vodcast, Breaking the Silence of Design, started just 2 months ago, with co-host Gabrielle Bullock, Director of Global Diversity at Perkins & Will Architects, as a platform to address the uncomfortable conversations around race and inequality in the AEC industry.

Listen to episode 159 of Archinect Sessions, “On Racial Inequality in AEC, with Karen Compton”.

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Gabrielle Bullock named AIA’s 2020 Whitney M. Young Award recipient

2019-12-12T15:43:00-05:00

NOMAArchitect and equity and inclusion advocate Gabrielle Bullock has been named as the recipient of the 2020 Whitney M. Young, Jr. Award by the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

The award, which has been given out since 1972, according to the AIA website, “distinguishes an architect or architectural organization that embodies social responsibility and actively addresses a relevant issue, such as affordable housing, inclusiveness, or universal access.”

An AIA announcement highlighting Bullock’s selection reads: “A consummate innovator in areas of equity and inclusion, Gabrielle Bullock, FAIA, has forged a new path for the future of the profession. Her voice as a leader has reverberated throughout her firm and the design community, leading to palpable changes and the realization that a more just and equitable profession is within reach.”

Director of Global Diversity at Perkins+Will: Work-Life Balance Isn't Just a Health Issue – It's About Talent Retention

Bullock is currently ...