WASHINGTON – December 13, 2024 – The Board of Directors and the Strategic Council of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) today honored Bryan C. Lee Jr., FAIA, with the 2025 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award.
Established in 1972, the Whitney M. Young Jr. Award annually honors an architect or organization that champions a range of social issues.
Lee’s journey into architecture and advocacy began with his academic pursuits at Florida A&M University, The Ohio State University, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), where he earned his Master of Architecture in 2009. His early leadership roles in the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) Student Chapters set the stage for his lifelong commitment to equity in design. After contributing to acclaimed firms such as Eskew+Dumez+Ripple and serving as Director of Place + Civic Design at the Arts Council of New Orleans, Lee founded Colloqate Design in 2017 to focus on expanding community access to social, civic, and cultural spaces.
Lee's leadership at Colloqate has centered on empowering communities to shape their built environments through participatory and justice-oriented design. A hallmark of his career is the Paper Monuments Project (2017–2019), which elevated marginalized histories and voices in New Orleans by engaging the public to envision new, inclusive monuments. Similarly, the Claiborne Cultural Futures Project reimagined public spaces in the historically Black neighborhoods of New Orleans' Claiborne Corridor, emphasizing community ownership and equitable development.
One of his most notable contributions is the Design As Protest (DAP) Collective, a global movement he co-founded to challenge systemic inequities in the design professions. By organizing direct actions, publishing anti-racist resources, and mobilizing designers to advocate for justice, Lee has fostered a collective commitment to equity across architecture and design fields.
Lee has also advanced justice in education through his work with NOMA's Project Pipeline, where he chaired the national program and developed a design justice curriculum. This initiative introduced over 20,000 students to architecture and its potential to address systemic inequities, inspiring the next generation of designers. As a Design Critic at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Lee has led groundbreaking studios like "The Black New Deal" and "Typologies of Liberation," empowering students to confront privilege and engage communities in meaningful ways.
Throughout his career, Lee has demonstrated a deep respect for the cultures and histories of the people he serves. His projects, such as the redesign of the Midland Library in Portland, Oregon, and the MLK Jr. Library exhibit in Washington, D.C., showcase his ability to create spaces that honor collective narratives while addressing contemporary community needs. The Storia Project, a network of public storytelling pavilions in New Orleans, exemplifies his commitment to embedding cultural resilience into physical landscapes.
Lee's influence extends to the broader profession through his roles with the AIA, where he has served on committees addressing diversity, equity, and the future of architecture. His contributions to initiatives like the AIA Design Justice Summit have shaped industry-wide conversations about justice and inclusion.
His efforts have earned him numerous accolades, including the Architectural League's Emerging Voices Award, the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award, and recognition as a United States Artists Fellow. His work has been published widely, with features in Fast Company, Architect Magazine, and CityLab, among others.
Lee’s career is defined by a relentless pursuit of justice, a commitment to collaboration, and a belief in the transformative power of design. By bridging the worlds of advocacy, education, and practice, he has created a legacy that challenges the status quo and inspires architects and communities to envision and build a more equitable future.
Visit AIA’s website to learn more about Lee’s selection as the 2025 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award recipient.
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