Feminist Factory of Black-Owned Enterprise
My project aims to empower and amplify black-owned businesses within a Western context by creating a multifunctional space that addresses the needs of the community. It offers rentable artist studios, haircare outlets, entrepreneurship workshops, and adaptable stalls for vendors, including street food and traditional fabric sellers. By strategically placing this factory at the epicentre of Corbusier’s Radiant City masterplan, the project addresses the issue of black people in the diaspora typically having to travel far to access services (e.g., a hairdresser competent in cutting and styling afro-textured hair) which are usually isolated in the out-skirts of high streets.
Furthermore, the project incorporates elements of African architecture and utilises in-house artwork for interior decoration, providing a sense of familiarity and belonging for the diaspora community. This approach not only fosters cultural connection but also creates a micro economy that benefits black-owned businesses, helping bridge the performance gap they statistically face compared to their white counterparts. A gap catalysed by institutional racism and lack of intergenerational wealth.
