The National Organization of Minority Architects
Wisconsin Chapter
PROJECT PIPELINE
Welcome to the Project Pipeline Summer Camp on Architecture! This immersive and dynamic program is designed to inspire and cultivate the next generation of architects. Over the course of the camp, participants will engage in hands-on activities, creative workshops, and collaborative project work that explore the fundamentals of architecture and design.
Guided by experienced professionals and educators, campers will develop essential skills in sketching, modeling, and problem-solving while gaining a deeper understanding of how architecture shapes our world. Join us for an unforgettable summer experience where imagination meets innovation, and budding architects build the foundations for their future careers.
The Center for Black Excellence - Madison, WI: June 25th - June 28th
Sojourner Truth House - Milwaukee, WI: July 9th - July 12th
OUR MISSION
Empower Young People
Students explore architecture through drawing, model building, diagramming, research, and interviews. By the program's end, they present a project addressing a social need in their city.
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Human Element: Focusing on relationship principles.
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Action Driven: Emphasizing deliberate, impactful steps.
Connect Mentors
Every architect has a story of mentorship. Our camps connect students with architects and community leaders, guiding them through design stages with engaging, hands-on activities.
Our program is enriched by the diverse perspectives of individuals from various backgrounds, including experience, education, and culture.
Design for Community
The camp emphasizes the cultural, social, and historical importance of architecture in daily life. Students address real community projects, using architectural tools to create context-driven, thoughtful solutions.
By working on tangible challenges, they gain a deeper understanding of architecture's role in shaping communities.
Address Design Justice
Our built environment reflects our attitudes toward justice—and the record is damning.
Instead of ignoring this reality, we face this history head-on to inspire meaningful change and shape a more equitable future. By understanding this legacy, we empower communities to reimagine spaces that reflect inclusion and justice.
Our mission is to empower young people to affect change in their community through design. Using the city as the classroom and connecting young people to real-world architects and planners, we foster the next generation of design professionals, civic leaders, and changemakers. We advocate for increased inclusiveness, diversity, fellowship, equity, and excellence in design.
DIVERSIFYING THE FUTURE
Growing Slowly
In the year Whitney Young, Jr. made his speech to the AIA, Black architects made up 1/2 of 1 percent (0.5%) of all registered architects in the United States.
In the 57 years since that speech, the number has climbed to 2 percent (2%).
However, as African-Americans make up 12.1% of the overall population, the architecture profession still doesn’t look much like the country as a whole.
With a current lack of diversity in the architectural profession, the need for programs like Project Pipeline is evident.
Only 17.2% of AIA members identify as belonging to underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, highlighting the urgency to address this disparity.
