Episode 61: Sylvia Harris
Sylvia Harris was a graphic designer and design strategist who would be a part of several large-scale US programs that would improve user experience, and impact how architects work. Born in 1953, Sylvia attended a newly desegregated school and recalled firsthand accounts of prejudice and encounters with the KKK. Because of her experiences, she became interested in creating more opportunities for representation and including voices from underrepresented communities. Sylvia attended Yale University, to receive her Master's degree in Graphic Design. After graduation, Sylvia, Juanita Dugdale, and David Gibson would start their own firm called Two Twelve Associates, named after the building where they studied at Yale (212 York Street). One of their first and largest collaborations was with Citibank to create a more personal and humanizing experience for users at their ATM machines. Stepping away from her firm, Sylvia started her own firm that worked on way-finding improvements for hospitals, universities, and even zoos! One of her most notable works was the improvement of the 2000 U.S. Census. Her graphic expertise brought a note-worthy turnout of over 80 million citizens filling out the newly designed census. Thus, her work brought more input from people in underfunded and underrepresented communities, in turn, bringing more information to architects and designers alike. In 2011, at the age of 57, Sylvia would suddenly pass away due to heart failure.
This season, our theme is Wild Card! Although Sylvia wasn't directly a part of the AEC industry, her work would help architects and urban designers for years to come. We are excited to tell stories of ladies that did so many things that have impacted the AEC industry even if they didn't study architecture or other related degrees. Stay tuned!
Caryatid: Amanda Williams
Amanda Williams is an artist and architect. The Rhona Hoffman Gallery in Chicago represents her. She got her architecture degree from Cornell University with an emphasis on fine arts. Amanda’s work consists of a series of exhibitions, installations, sculptures, you name it. On the gallery website - it says that “Amanda’s work seeks to inspire new ways of looking at the familiar, and in the process, raise questions about the state of urban space and ownership in America.” Along with being at the 2018 Venice Biennale, Amanda has had exhibitions at the MOMA in New York and the Museum of Contemporary art in Chicago. She is also on the Obama Presidential Library Center Museum Design Team. In 2022, Amanda was awarded the McArthur Genius Grant.
References
“2014 AIGA Medalist: Sylvia Harris.” AIGA, www.aiga.org/inspiration/talks/sylvia-harris-2014-aiga-medalist-sylvia-harris
Architect’s Newspaper. “Sylvia Harris, 1953-2011.” The Architect’s Newspaper, 1 Aug. 2011, www.archpaper.com/2011/08/sylvia-harris-1953-2011.
Bellog, Sara. “Women in Design: Sylvia Harris –.” Smith Design, 28 Mar. 2022, smithdesign.com/blog/women-in-design-sylvia-harris.
“Celebrating America’s Pioneer Black Graphic Designers: Sylvia Harris (1953-2011) | Octane Design Studios.” Octane Design Studios | #MoreThanGraphics, 25 Feb. 2021, lexoctane.com/?p=14913.
End2End Media. “Sylvia Harris, the Citizen’s Designer.” End2End Media, 11 May 2019, end2endmedia.ca/sylvia-harris-the-citizens-designer.
Helfand, Jessica. “Remembering Sylvia Harris.” Design Observer, 25 July 2011, designobserver.com/article.php?id=29118.
“Remembering Sylvia Harris.” PRINT Magazine, 26 July 2011, www.printmag.com/daily-heller/remembering-sylvia-harris.
Sylvia Harris | Page 3 | SEGD. segd.org/sylvia-harris?page=2.
Troncoso, Darya Jandossova. “15 Most Famous Female Graphic Designers.” MarketSplash, 17 Dec. 2021, marketsplash.com/famous-female-graphic-designers.
Wayfinding Systems - Two Twelve. www.twotwelve.com/wayfinding-systems/?currentPage=2.
Information about:
Tom Tricky Harris: https://richmondfreepress.com/news/2020/mar/13/vuu-lady-panthers-1983-team-inducted-ciaa-hall-fam/
Chris Pullman: http://christopherpullman.com/home/about/
