39: Kobina Banning
Kobina Banning was born in Kumasi, Ghana and received his masters in architecture from Arizona State University, where he specifically studied how displaced persons from other cultures can adopt architecturally into new urban settings.
In 2007, he founded Fusion Architecture [FA] in Phoenix opened a location in Kumasi, Ghana two years later. He's currently an associate member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), has a full-time gig with WHPacific and is an adjunct faculty at ITT Technical Institute in Tempe.
Read more about Banning and his proposed school project in southern Sudan after the jump ..
1. List five things on your inspiration wall ... real or imagined
- My Dad -- an architect
- Influence of Cultures, music, food, diseases, etc. on Design
- Architects (Juhani Palasmaa, Teddy Cruz, Rem Koolhaas, etc. ...)
- Sustainable design--Building and Product
- Research
2. What was your last big project?
I collaborated with United State Department of Economic and Security-Refugee Resettlement Program to create an identity for "World Refugee Day 2010" in Phoenix
3. What's your next big project?
Fusion Architecture [FA] Exhibition. It will show case FA's work with communities, future project and raise funds for some of our on-going projects.
4. Why do you do what you do?
You cannot escape from the media and things that are happening around us, both in the micro-surroundings with immigration, housing, jobs, and deprived communities, to
mention a few, or on the global scale with hurricanes, earthquakes, HIV, refugee camps etc.
We don't have to leave it to the community leaders to solve it all. There is a role for young designers to apply their talents -- mine is what I do when I am not working to make ends meet. I enjoy collaborating with other disciplines while approaching contemporary social issues with a new form of architectural activism that draws inspiration from people, cultures, and their surroundings.
5. What's something you want phoenix to know about you? (and if you're
game, what's something you don't want phoenix to know about you?)
I believe that, we must utilize our talents to help communities in need. Volunteering a day for a good course goes a long way. I believe young designers need a new lens to harness the socio-cultural forces pressing our communities today.
The Creatives, so far:
100. Fausto Fernandez
99. Brian Boner
98. Carol Panaro-Smith
97. Jane Reddin
96. Adam Dumper
95. Mayme Kratz
94. Daniel Tantalean
93. Yuri Artibise
92. Lisa Starry
91. Paul Hoeprich
90. Betsy Schneider
89. Mary Shindell
88: Gabriel Utasi
87: Tiffany Egbert
86. Angela Cazel Jahn
85. Dayvid LeMmon
84. Beatrice Moore
83. Michelle J. Martinez
82. Carrie Bloomston
81. Paul Porter
80. Rachel Bess
79. Karolina Sussland
78. Aaron Abbott
77. Mary Lucking
76. Erin Sotak
75. Greg Esser
74. Matthew Mosher
73. Mark Klett
72. Tony Carrillo
71. Paul Morris
70. Joe Pagac
69. Alison King
68. JJ Horner
67. Kim Porter
66. Marco Rosichelli
65. Heather Hales
64. Amy Lamp
63. Kevin Vaughan-Brubaker
62. Lindy Drew
61. Robbie Pfeffer
60. Neil Borowicz
59. Lynn Fisher
58. Tanner Woodford
57. David Tinapple
56. Casebeer
55. Tom Leveen
54. Patti Parsons
53. Tedd McDonah
52. Mike Maas
51. Chris Todd
50. Monica Aissa Martinez
49. Stefan Shepherd
48. Jenny Poon
47. Matt Moore
46. Andrea Hanley
45. Julie Hampton
44. Ted Decker
43. Saskia Jorda
42. Michael Bergfalk
41. Scott Baxter
40. Carrie Marill
