Germane Barnes’ research investigates the relationship between architecture and identity, with a particular attention on the contribution and heritage of the African diaspora. The study of rituals, narratives, and common elements of the domestic lives of African-Americans reveals new architectural possibilities that make use of underrepresented African-American contributions in the US. Her analysis aims to show how the built environment may be determined by other solutions than established practices: porches, chairs, temporary furniture, reclaimed materials – all useful solutions in their infinite possible combinations for defining installations and architectures for new modes of communal coexistence.
