Emblematic of African American culture and resilience, the Gullah-Geechee Corridor stretches across the US Southeast and retains profound ties to African lineage. Where We've Been by Sydne Nance, Assoc. AIA, examines regional African American architectural traditions, emphasizing the corridor’s trans-Atlantic link to Sierra Leone. It delves into historic design, cultural spaces, and distinctive tabby architecture, which have influenced American building styles. Inspired by Laverne Wells-Bowie’s seminal work, "Bin-Yuh, Come-Yuh = Been Here, New Come", the investigation advances architectural discourse with overlooked narratives. Conducting ethnographic fieldwork across South Carolina, Georgia, and Sierra Leone, Nance will refine spatial storytelling and enhance future architectural principles with insights on African American heritage design. 

A series of social earth sculptures designed and built by a collective of international ten designers and artists on the AA School’s experimental Hooke Park Campus. Testing the design capabilities of multiple methods of earth building and materials, the group created their own building materials extracted from the soils and natural clays within the surrounding forest and built each sculpture by hand.

The concept of the sculptures was to create a sitting room in the forest appearing as a continuation of the landscape.

The beauty of the three sculptures is that they can be returned to the earth with minimal to no human intervention as natural forces begin to erode them. They are intentionally crafted ruins serving as art for the forest. Materials: Wattle and daub frame sculpture made of earth, straw, metal mesh, and wood.

Responding to the landscape and context of the site, the sculpture mirrors the topography of its settings and invites visitors to sit and contemplate the scenes around them. Comprised of a wattle and daub framed wall with English ivies, thatched reed wall and metal mesh accents nodding to architectural elements and of the region.