A team of students from Tuskegee University’s Department of Architecture won first place in the National Organization of Minority Architects Student Competition (NOMA) held in Nashville, Tennessee.
The team made history as the first HBCU to win the competition as they competed against nearly 30 NOMAS chapters.
Journi Goodman was awarded the 2022 National NOMAS Student of the year for her work as an undergraduate student at Tuskegee University.
NOMA is an organization with the mission to empower its local chapters and membership to foster justice and equity in communities of color through outreach, community advocacy, professional development, and design excellence. They are seeking to be an effective source of motivation and inspiration for minority youth to minimize the effect of racism in the architectural profession.
At this year’s Nashville Unplugged Conference, The 2022 NOMA Barbara G. Laurie Student Design Competition was focused on a project that addresses the gentrification and displacement of North Nashville community members as the result of the Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Interstate Highway System in the 1960s. The idea for the competition was to specifically show how design and architectural strategies can rebuild a community. Designed to stimulate an actual planning and development scenario, students were asked to envision a complex that serves as a cultural center to preserve the history of North Nashville and a new bridge to serve as a landmark and monument for the community.
Tuskegee earned First Place with their Barbara G. Laurie Student Design Competition entry “Selah”
“The winning proposal, “SELAH,” is a prime example of how Tuskegee architects preserve the culture and history of underrepresented populations in the built environment, said Amma Asamoah, assistant professor of architecture and faculty advisor at Tuskegee. “Our students’ design solution spoke to the values and future of the North Nashville community while amplifying African American culture,” she added.
“Their creative process was intentional.” “They understood the assignment and worked tirelessly through the various iterations before the final SELAH was conceived,” said Vicki Carter, Tuskegee assistant professor, and 5th-year studio faculty.
“It was a proud moment for us and a challenge to uphold for the students that will follow in their footsteps.”
– Tuskegee Assistant Professor, Vicki Carter on the Department of Architecture’s victory at the NOMA Competion
The Tuskegee students have been competing in the NOMA student competition longer than any other HBCU. The following student competition will be in Portland, Oregon, in 2023.
Tuskegee professor and dean of the School of Architecture and Science and Management (TSACS), Dr. Carla Jackson Bell described the university’s architecture students as “phenomenal.”
“The Tuskegee students won third place in 2015 and second place in 2020, so they are eager to win first place this year. I want to thank our top donors Corgan, Deck Group, Gensler, HOK, Moody Nolan, and Studio Libeskind, for the endless support, making this the second historical recognition of our school memorable this year” Bell said.
