blueprints & brushstrokes 2025
WHERE ART MEETS ARCHITECTURE
In its inaugural year, Blueprints & Brushstrokes brought together 16 architectural projects across 12 firms, pairing each with artists to reimagine space through culture, creativity, and community.
The Setting
Blueprints & Brushstrokes 2025
A Cultural Exhibition Rooted in Place
The inaugural Blueprints & Brushstrokes exhibition took place on August 24, 2025, at Sycamore & Oak in Southeast Washington, DC—an outdoor cultural venue located in the heart of Congress Heights.
Set within a neighborhood rich in history and community identity, the location played a critical role in shaping the experience of the event. The open-air environment transformed the exhibition into an immersive cultural landscape—where architecture, art, and community converged in real time.
Rather than a traditional gallery, the event was designed as a living exhibition, featuring large-scale installations that paired architectural projects with artists to tell stories rooted in equity, culture, and place.
Sycamore & Oak provided more than just a venue—it served as an extension of the exhibition’s mission:
A space grounded in community
A setting that encouraged interaction and movement
A backdrop that amplified the connection between design and lived experience
The evening brought together architects, artists, and community members in a shared environment of creativity, dialogue, and cultural expression—establishing Blueprints & Brushstrokes as a new model for how architecture can be experienced beyond traditional boundaries.
200+
ATTENDEES
16
ARCHITECTURAL PROJECTS
26
ARTISTS
14
FIRMS
$8K+
RAISED
THE PROJECTS
Architecture Reimagined Through Art
Each architectural project was paired with an artist who interpreted its vision through their own lens—bringing new dimension to design, place, and purpose.
01
Community, Culture & Entrepreneurship
Exploring how architecture supports Black-owned businesses, cultural identity, and community-driven economic empowerment. These projects highlight the role of design in shaping spaces where culture thrives, stories are preserved, and entrepreneurship becomes a vehicle for generational impact.
01
Yeleen Beauty Makerspace
Architect: Gensler
“Hands That Heal” — A vibrant, tactile installation celebrating community healing through beauty and self-care.
Artists: B. Peppers Art, Christian Belton
02
Sycamore & Oak
Architect: Adjaye Associates
“Layers of Legacy” — A storytelling installation highlighting Black business ownership, generational wealth, and cultural resilience.
Artists: Keyonna Jones, Kenneth Graves, Cary Michael Robinson
03
Go-Go Museum
Architect: To Be Done Studio
“Beats of the City” — A rhythmic, sound-driven installation celebrating DC’s musical identity through visual storytelling and movement.
Artists: Nabeeh, Ashanni
02
HEALTH, WELLNESS & HEALING
Spaces designed for care, restoration, and holistic wellbeing. These projects center Black health, maternal care, and sensory healing—demonstrating how architecture can nurture the body, calm the mind, and support community wellness through intentional design.
04
Community of Hope Family Health & Birth Center
Architect: Gensler
“Wombs of Strength” — A sanctuary-like installation celebrating Black motherhood through organic forms and soft textures.
Artists: Kaylee Daryl, Tarika Campbell
05
Jamaa Birth Village
Architect: CannonDesign
“Sanctuary After Birth” — A gentle, immersive environment using layered textiles, affirmations, and soft soundscapes to support healing and care after birth.
Artists: Sonia Jones
06
Grounded
Architect: Drummond Projects
“Rooted in Restoration” — A multi-sensory, biophilic installation using plants, scent, and texture to promote calm, connection, and Black wellness.
Artists: Travon Green`e
03
FOOD, LAND & SUSTAINABILITY
Exploring the relationship between architecture, land, and environmental justice. These projects center food systems, sustainability, and urban living—highlighting how design can restore connections to land, support self-sufficiency, and create healthier, more resilient communities.
07
MARCELLUS FARM
Architect: Cure Archiects
“Rooted Futures” — A layered installation using reclaimed wood and living plant elements to explore nourishment, land-based healing, and community resilience.
Artists: Valencia Wilson, B. Peppers Art
08
CYCLE HOUSE
Architect: Emotive Architecture
“Powered by the People” — A kinetic, solar-inspired installation showcasing energy systems, mobility, and sustainable urban living.
Artists: Dunnie Onasanya, Lavala Harris
04
INFRASTRUCTURE & PUBLIC SPACE
Design at the scale community—where infrastructure becomes a catalyst for connection. These projects reimagine public space as a platform for equity, access, and shared experience, bridging neighborhoods and creating new opportunities for gathering and belonging.
09
11TH STREET BRIDGE PARK
Architect: OMA
““Currents of Connection” — A fluid, immersive installation inspired by the Anacostia River, using layered mapping, movement, and storytelling to reflect how infrastructure can reconnect communities and create shared public space.
Artists: Dunnie Onasanya
05
CULTURAL MEMORY, HISTORY & LEGACY
Honoring the past while shaping the future. These projects preserve Black cultural heritage, amplify historic narratives, and reimagine spaces of memory through architecture and storytelling—ensuring that legacy is not only remembered, but experienced.
10
HOWARD THEATRE
Architect: MMD
“Echoes of Shaw” — A dynamic installation using sound-reactive visuals, lighting, cand archival elements to celebrate Black musical history and performance culture.
Artists: Antonio Moore, Kristen King
11
RICHMOND NATIONAL SLAVERY MUSEUM
Architect: SmithGroup
“The Ground Remembers” — A layered installation reflecting vvon memory, trauma, and resilience through spatial storytelling and material expression.
Artists: Pierre
12
MOUNT ZION BLACK CULTURAL CENTER
Architect: To Be Done Studio
“Echoes in Stone” — A sculptural storytelling portal using materiality, sound, and oral histories to connect generations through place and memory.
Artists: Brittany Mona
13
SCOTLAND AME ZION CHURCH
Architect: Antunovich Associates
“Lifted in Faith” — A spiritually grounded installation inspired by Black church traditions, incorporating light, sound, and collective memory.
Artists: Shawn “SP the Plug” Perkins, Cary Michael Robinson
06
IDENTITY, ADVOCACY & SOCIAL IMPACT
Architecture as a tool for visibility, protection, and change. These projects challenge dominant narratives, amplify underrepresented voices, and create space for communities often pushed to the margins—demonstrating the power of design as advocacy.
14
SXCO (SEX WORKERS’ CO-OP)
Architect: Partners of Place
“Unhidden” — A layered, translucent installation using mirrored surfaces, red lighting, and oral histories to challenge stigma and bring visibility to marginalized communities.
Artists: Ashley Jaye Williams
15
EASTERN SHOSHONE CULTURAL HUB
Architect: To Be Done Studio
“The Living Archive” — A circular, immersive installation incorporating oral history, land-based storytelling, and cultural symbolism to preserve Indigenous identity and resilience.
Artists: Dez Zambrano, Rashad Ali Muhammad
16
1882 FOUNDATION SOCIAL WORKSPACE
Architect: To Be Done Studio
“Living Walls” — A minimalist installation using archival imagery, calligraphy, and layered storytelling to explore identity, belonging, and cultural memory.
Artists: Erin Kaye
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS/ SPONSORS
