This report, commissioned with support from the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, aims to accelerate the collection of work by architects and designers of Asian ancestry who have helped shape the urban and visual landscape of the United States (1900–present). It reflects Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum’s larger commitment to a more inclusive vision of its collection and the stories that surround it. The report was produced in partnership with the Society of Architectural Historians’ Asian American & Diasporic Architectural History Affiliate Group, which recruited members to produce topical, state-of-the-field papers on specific aspects of collecting the work of Asian American architects and designers. Contributors identified the most significant architects and designers and their major works and repositories for their papers. Key themes include Gail Dubrow, Sean H. McPherson and Lynne Horiuchi, “Japanese American Architects, Landscape Architects, and Designers;” Hongyan Yang with Sujin Eom, “Chinese American Architects and Designers;” Priya Jain, “South Asian American Architects and Designers;” Sujin Eom and Sean H. McPherson, “Korean American Architects and Designers;” and Edson Cabalfin, “Filipino American Architects and Designers.” The report concludes with recommendations for expanding representation of AAPI architectural and design heritage.

“Rediscovering Asian American and Pacific Islander Architects and Designers”
Download the report (6 MB)

“In Search of Asian American and Pacific Islander Architects and Designers”
Download the appendices (550 KB)

  

Contributors

Edson G. Cabalfin, PhD, Associate Professor of Architecture, Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, School of Architecture, Tulane University

Gail Dubrow, PhD, FSAH, Professor of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Public Affairs & Planning, and History at University of Minnesota (UMN)

Sujin Eom, PhD, Assistant Professor of Asian Societies, Cultures, and Languages, Dartmouth College

Lynne Horiuchi, PhD, FSAH, independent scholar

Priya Jain, MArch, RA, Associate Professor, Department of Architecture and Associate Director, Center for Heritage Conservation, Texas A & M University

Sean H. McPherson, MArch, PhD, Associate Professor of Art History and Coordinator of Asian Studies, Department of Art & Art History, Bridgewater State University

Hongyan Yang, PhD, Core Fellow/Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of History, Boston College

Yao-Fen You, PhD, Acting Director, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center

 

Support

This report received Federal support from the Asian Pacific American Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center.