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If you go:Bryan C. Lee Jr. will host a workshop on Tuesday, Aug. 14, from 12-4 p.m. At the Barking Legs Theater at 1307 Dodds Ave. The public is invited.Mouth Gremlin will host a dinner from 4-6 p.m. After the workshop.Lee will then provide a keynote address from 6 – 7:30 p.m.Lee will participate in a live interview at the Edney Innovation Center on Wednesday, Aug. 15, from 11:30-1 p.m.
Over a year ago, the city of New Orleans joined other cities nationwide in a movement to remove confederate monuments and memorials from public spaces, sparking backlash and protest from many residents.
In the Louisiana city hundreds of miles away from Chattanooga, Bryan C. Lee Jr., a young, black architect, saw the potential in turning these now vacant public spaces into something valuable that told the stories of the people, places and movements that have contributed to the city’s rich history. This week, Lee will visit Chattanooga to spark a conversation among community members and residents on how Chattanooga can now use design as a form of protest against social, racial and political injustices.
The local chapter of The American Institute of Architects, or AIA, is organizing the event, which is hosted by Acme Brick Tile & Stone and a part of AIA’s quarterly lecture series. Jared Hueter, president-elect of the local chapter and architect at the Workshop: Architecture firm, said that one of the organization’s primary goals is to illustrate the importance of design and architecture in a community and how it impacts residents on a daily basis.
Hueter said Lee takes on some difficult and controversial issues, but it’s something the industry needs and has needed for a while. Lee will be leading a workshop and keynote Tuesday and live interview on Wednesday at the Edney Innovation Center.