The Rice School of Architecture is pleased to announce that Assistant Professor Shantel Blakely has contributed a pivotal essay to the newly released book Design Agendas: Modern Architecture in St. Louis, 1930s–1970s, edited by renowned architectural historian Eric P. Mumford. Blakely’s essay, titled “Between the Lines: The Architecture of Charles E. Fleming, 1955–1990,” sheds light on the work of architect Charles E. Fleming, positioning his contributions within the broader context of mid-twentieth-century urban development in St. Louis.
Design Agendas explores how modern architecture intersected with significant social and political movements of the era, including New Deal planning, the Great Migration, and the civil rights and Great Society initiatives. Blakely’s essay provides a critical examination of Fleming’s work during a period marked by de facto racial segregation and urban renewal projects, many of which had lasting and often destructive impacts on African American communities, such as the clearance of the Mill Creek Valley neighborhood and the infamous Pruitt-Igoe public housing project.
Dean Igor Marjanović praised Blakely’s contribution, stating, “Shantel Blakely’s insightful examination of Charles E. Fleming’s architecture expands our understanding of modern architecture’s complex social dimensions. Her scholarship demonstrates Rice Architecture’s dedication to addressing the intersections of design, history, and urbanism, and it enhances the school’s growing reputation for rigorous and socially engaged research.”
Design Agendas adds to a growing body of literature that reevaluates modern architecture in St. Louis, contextualizing it against the sociopolitical backdrop of mid-century America. Blakely’s essay is an essential addition to this discourse, offering a nuanced perspective on the role architecture plays in shaping urban identity and social structures.
For more information on Design Agendas and to explore Blakely’s essay, visit the publisher’s website.