Toyota Lecture Series: Michael Ford

This lecture offers an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at over two decades of work by Michael Ford—widely known as The Hip Hop Architect—exploring the intersection of hip hop culture and design. From the architectural storytelling of The Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx and The Memphis Hip Hop Museum to award-winning product collaborations and international youth camps, the presentation reveals how hip hop continues to shape the built environment and the objects within it.

Michael Ford, AIA, NOMA, NCARB has dedicated his career to increasing diversity in architecture through culturally relevant education. He founded The Hip Hop Architecture Camp, a global program that uses Hip Hop to introduce underrepresented youth to design.

As Founding Principal of BrandNu Design Studio, Ford leads projects like The Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx. His work has been featured on Oprah Winfrey Network’s Super Soul Sunday, The TODAY Show, Rolling Stone, and Interior Design Magazine.

Ford is a highly regarded speaker for his thought leadership at the intersection of design and culture. Some of his past keynotes include the American Institute of Architects National Conference, American Planning Association’s Planning Conference, The Toronto Interior Design Show.

The Toyota Lecture Series was established through a generous endowment gift to the College for Creative Studies from Toyota Motor Corporation to feature presentations by prominent guest speakers from the international design community at CCS and directly engage with CCS students through critiques and roundtable discussions. 

This event is a part of the Detroit Month of Design, produced by Design Core Detroit. Kindly RSVP for the lecture below. The lecture will be followed by a short reception directly outside the auditorium. 

RSVP

Parking is available in the CCS Brush St lot; entrance on Brush just north of Frederick.