Studio Barnes has committed itself to raising local voices through design. Putting under-resourced communities front and center, founder Germane Barnes is advocating a research-led, hands-on model for practice, aiming to mobilise architecture in service of social transformation. Their process is one of constant experimentation: “We are always in search of new procedures, innovations, and pedagogies,” Barnes tells The World Around.  During the 2024 Summit, Barnes revealed details about a long-awaited development in Memphis, Tennessee, which involves the redevelopment of the 10-acre Orange Mound Tower site. Headed by nonprofit gallery TONE and creative label Unapologetic, the project will create a hub for Black innovation, and include art-supporting spaces including galleries, artist apartments, studios, and a recording and performance venue at the previously condemned industrial complex.

The plans for Orange Mound Tower also feature local market-rate multifamily units, office space, a courtyard, and commercial space, as well as health, food, and education facilities for the area’s Black community. Barnes and his team will transform the site in phases, working closely with TONE and Unapologetic to ensure that the project reaches all of those who stand to benefit from its wide-reaching impact.