Revolutionary Architect Sekou Cooke brings "Hip-Hop Architecture" to Urban Spaces
Sekou Cooke in his office. Photography by Michael Barletta
Sekou Cooke is an architect who is revolutionizing the field with his unique approach to design. His focus on "hip-hop architecture" is dedicated to innovation, challenging norms, and giving a voice to marginalized people. This approach is evident in his work, which engages in projects that aim to positively and inclusively affect urban spaces.
Recently, Cooke was commissioned by Christopher Hawthorne, Chief Design Officer for the city of Los Angeles, to participate in the Standard Plan ADU Program. His ADU 1s and 2s, a new vision of an LA Case Study house, will be constructed this year for the CEO of Def Jam Records. The twisted form of the house references west coast hip-hop culture, and its construction is a testament to Cooke's dedication to innovation and challenging existing norms in the field of architecture.
But Cooke's work is not just focused on aesthetics. He is also working on a project in Brevard, North Carolina to create a new financial model for low-income and affordably-priced housing. This model will allow residents to form a development entity and help control what is newly built in their communities, protecting against rapid gentrification. Cooke's pro bono approach to this project allows him the freedom to create a solution-based design, and then bring in willing clients to make it a reality.
In Syracuse, New York, Cooke is transforming a former dairy into a hip-hop headquarters for at-risk youth, and working on a large development project in the city's Black neighborhood. These projects not only showcase Cooke's innovative design skills, but also his dedication to giving a voice to marginalized people and creating positive change in urban spaces.
Sekou Cooke in his office. Photography by Michael Barletta
Cooke's work is not only focused on physical projects. As the director of the Master of Urban Design program at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, he is dedicated to bringing the figure of an architect down to the people for whom they design. He has made changes to the program's curriculum to give students more agency over their work and focus research on Charlotte as a center of regional urbanism.
Sekou Cooke's dedication to innovation, challenging norms, and giving a voice to marginalized people is truly inspiring. His work in both academia and physical forms is making a real difference in urban spaces, and we can't wait to see what he does next.