Michael Ford, the “hip hop architect” of BrandNu Design, to Lead Design Team

MILWAUKEE – The Bronzeville Center for the Arts’ (BCA) Board of Directors announced BrandNu Design Studio as the lead architecture firm, partnering with HGA, a national award-winning design firm with expertise in museum design, for its highly
anticipated African American art museum in the heart of Milwaukee’s Bronzeville neighborhood. BrandNu Design is owned by Michael Ford, known nationally as the Hip Hop Architect.

BrandNu Design will partner with HGA to lead the project into the next phase of design development, including site and building design and further community engagement, building upon critical phase one work completed by M&E Architects+Engineers. 

“The BCA is proud to welcome BrandNu Design to help us bring to fruition our vision for an African American art museum in Bronzeville,” said Kristen Hardy, board chair of the BCA. “BrandNu uses design as a tool to advance equity, justice, and inclusion, actively working with communities to build a more equitable future, which perfectly aligns with the mission of the BCA. We believe BrandNu’s talent and experience will be beneficial during this next phase. ”

BrandNu Design, which has offices in Madison, Dallas, and New York specializes in cultural centers and museums, with a design portfolio that includes the Universal Hip Hop Museum in New York and the Black Inventors Hall of Fame Museum in New Jersey. Ford was named Young Architect of The Year by Wisconsin’s Chapter of The American Institute of Architects in 2022. The firm strives to create spaces that enhance quality of life while promoting equity, justice, and inclusion. 

“This is an incredible opportunity to help shape the design of a new museum that will feature  African American art and become a community hub within a revitalized Bronzeville,” said Ford. “This world-class museum will both represent the rich history of the neighborhood and forecast its future.”

HGA will continue to provide design leadership and technical support on the project. Design Principal Peter D. Cook, FAIA, NOMA, will serve as the lead designer. Cook was a primary design collaborator on the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. HGA will also provide mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and structural engineering services to the project.

“We are honored to work closely with the Bronzeville community to create an exciting, forward-looking vision for the BCA with a design that encourages intellectual curiosity and showcases artistic creativity,” said Cook.

The BCA is continuing community engagement efforts to help shape the future of the new art museum. Bronzeville resident Terri Howard, HGA’s Vice President of Equity, has a key role in the process. The 3.4-acre site on the northeast corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and North Avenue will be transformed into a campus, including a 50,000-square-foot museum. It will feature exhibitions, education, and immersive artistic programming designed to engage audiences of all ages.

 

Hip Hop Architecture Camp

As part of its ongoing efforts to engage various Bronzeville communities to help inform this project, the BCA is hosting a Hip Hop Architecture Camp, spearheaded by Ford, during Bronzeville Week at Gallery 507. The week-long intensive experience introduces local and underrepresented youth to architecture, urban planning, and creative placemaking through the lens of hip hop culture. 

Taking place at BCA’s newly completed headquarters and gallery space at 507 W. North Ave., the camp invited 30 Milwaukee students in grades 6-12 to develop architectural concepts for the BCA, expressing their visions through rap verses and music video production. Throughout the week, students will work with top architects, urban planners, designers, community activists, and hip hop artists.

To learn more about the Bronzeville Center for the Arts, visit www.bcamke.org/. 

 

ABOUT BRONZEVILLE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Established in 2020, the Bronzeville Center for the Arts (BCA) seeks to establish a major new art museum in Bronzeville – a historically African American neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin – to highlight the work of African American artists. The BCA seeks to advance institutional equity, connect intergenerational and diverse audiences, and provide a place for everyone to experience and develop a greater understanding of and appreciation for African American art.

The BCA promotes current and future artists and art professionals by opening a lens to the history and heritage of Black artists. Central to the BCA’s mission is removing barriers from the enjoyment of art and forging a future that is more creative, connected, and informed. Bronzeville’s bustling entrepreneurial and artistic history serve as the foundation for the BCA, inspiring us to continue to honor and embody this multifaceted heritage. Learn more at www.BCAMKE.org. 

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