Guiding Hosts

Design Work · INSTALLATION

Guiding Hosts

A living archive of faith, resistance, and community memory

Type / Category
Academic · Freelance Commission
Semester + Year
Spring 2024 — Fall 2025
Course Name
Architectural Design Studio
Tags
Undergrad · Installation · Freelance

Life-scale silhouette installations within Mount Zion AME Zion Church — functioning as embodied hosts that carry layered archival narratives of faith, resistance, and Black community memory through engraved text, imagery, and spatial placement across the sanctuary museum interior.

Axonometric interior render positions multiple silhouette figures throughout the church museum space alongside visitors, curved narrative panels, and layered exhibition zones.
Axonometric interior render positions multiple silhouette figures throughout the church museum space alongside visitors, curved narrative panels, and layered exhibition zones.
Annotated axonometric plan documents the spatial role of each host figure as an intentional guide positioned at key transition points throughout the museum.
Annotated axonometric plan documents the spatial role of each host figure as an intentional guide positioned at key transition points throughout the museum.
Early concept sketches develop the silhouette form — exploring engraved metal surfaces, spatial placement strategies, and the phrase 'silhouettes of legacy.'
Early concept sketches develop the silhouette form — exploring engraved metal surfaces, spatial placement strategies, and the phrase 'silhouettes of legacy.'
Annie presents the project to church community members and restoration architects, with fabricated figures and full presentation boards visible behind her.
Annie presents the project to church community members and restoration architects, with fabricated figures and full presentation boards visible behind her.
Five laser-cut prototype figures — Woman Behind the Scenes, Civil Rights Leader, Young Advocate, City Planning Advocate, and Church Pastor — displayed on white pedestals with fabrication process photos alongside.
Five laser-cut prototype figures — Woman Behind the Scenes, Civil Rights Leader, Young Advocate, City Planning Advocate, and Church Pastor — displayed on white pedestals with fabrication process photos alongside.
Three-stage AutoCAD development process moves from scaled figure outline, to proportional text block placement, to final layered newspaper and imagery registration across the silhouette body.
Three-stage AutoCAD development process moves from scaled figure outline, to proportional text block placement, to final layered newspaper and imagery registration across the silhouette body.
AutoCAD file detail shows full text and image content mapped across the figure with precision bounding boxes, registration points, and layered newspaper headlines embedded at scale.
AutoCAD file detail shows full text and image content mapped across the figure with precision bounding boxes, registration points, and layered newspaper headlines embedded at scale.
Four MDF material samples display CNC-engraved text at varying stain depths and finish tones — from raw natural to deep matte black — testing legibility and surface contrast.
Four MDF material samples display CNC-engraved text at varying stain depths and finish tones — from raw natural to deep matte black — testing legibility and surface contrast.
Two-photo CNC fabrication sequence shows the router cutting engraved text and imagery into black-painted MDF, revealing gold-toned material beneath the surface finish.
Two-photo CNC fabrication sequence shows the router cutting engraved text and imagery into black-painted MDF, revealing gold-toned material beneath the surface finish.
Close detail of the CNC-engraved black MDF surface shows archival newspaper text and imagery revealed in relief — Rosa Parks and Montgomery Bus Boycott headlines legible across the tilted figure face.
Close detail of the CNC-engraved black MDF surface shows archival newspaper text and imagery revealed in relief — Rosa Parks and Montgomery Bus Boycott headlines legible across the tilted figure face.
Annie stands beside the completed full-scale figure inside Mount Zion AME Zion Church at the opening — engraved text and imagery covering the entire matte black surface at human scale.
Annie stands beside the completed full-scale figure inside Mount Zion AME Zion Church at the opening — engraved text and imagery covering the entire matte black surface at human scale.
Two-photo installation view shows the figure permanently placed on its pedestal at the front of the church interior, with visitors and architects engaging the piece during the opening event.
Two-photo installation view shows the figure permanently placed on its pedestal at the front of the church interior, with visitors and architects engaging the piece during the opening event.
CNC-milled MDF structural subcomponents laid flat — interlocking bracket pieces with registration holes visible, cut to support the layered depth of the final figure assembly.
CNC-milled MDF structural subcomponents laid flat — interlocking bracket pieces with registration holes visible, cut to support the layered depth of the final figure assembly.
Two-photo assembly sequence shows the MDF figure silhouette front and back — smooth outer profile on the left, structural internal frame with registration dowel holes on the right.
Two-photo assembly sequence shows the MDF figure silhouette front and back — smooth outer profile on the left, structural internal frame with registration dowel holes on the right.
Finished engraved panel laid flat on the shop floor alongside its raw MDF structural layer — black surface text and silhouette imagery in full contrast before final assembly and finishing.
Finished engraved panel laid flat on the shop floor alongside its raw MDF structural layer — black surface text and silhouette imagery in full contrast before final assembly and finishing.

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