ReClaiming the Narrative: Morgan State Leads Historic Pavilion at 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale

Morgan Becomes First HBCU to Lead a Pavilion at Prestigious Architectural Exhibition, Showcasing Groundbreaking Installation Rooted in African Heritage, Rhythm, and Resistance

In a defining moment for architectural education and cultural representation on the global stage, Morgan State University will debut a solo pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale—one of the world’s largest and most influential platforms for architectural theory and exhibition. Morgan is believed to be the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to lead a solo pavilion in the Biennale’s history.

The installation, titled “ReCall & Response,” is the vision of Assistant Professor of Architecture coleman a. jordan [ebo], an interdisciplinary designer, historian, and faculty member in Morgan’s School of Architecture and Planning. The pavilion opens on May 10, 2025, at the Giardini della Marinaressa in Venice, Italy, and will run through November 24, 2025. 

Drawing inspiration from the West African traditions of the djembe and talking drums, ReCall & Response transforms these ancient sonic instruments into a fully immersive, performative architectural structure—one that engages visitors through rhythm, movement, storytelling, and space. Constructed from sustainably sourced timber and created in collaboration with students and alumni from Morgan State University, Tuskegee University, and Clemson University, the pavilion embodies themes of cultural restitution, transnational solidarity, and sustainable design.

“This moment marks the intersection of culture, scholarship, and global visibility,” said David K. Wilson, president of Morgan State University. “The creativity emanating from our campus is not just local—it's global. Through this remarkable pavilion, we are placing Morgan and our students on the world stage, and more importantly, we are expanding educational and cultural understanding through immersive global travel and design.”

Curated in alignment with the Biennale’s 2025 theme of “Repair, Regenerate, and Reuse,” the pavilion directly responds to histories of displacement, colonization, and erasure. The structure is a living archive—a “sonic vessel” that bridges ancestral wisdom and contemporary design. On June 21, 2025, the pavilion will host a featured performance event during Art Night Venezia, complete with a live procession led by Senegalese drummer Moulaye Niang and the Morgan State University Marching Band, along with spoken word, libation ceremonies, and communal celebration.

“For the School of Architecture and Planning, this is not only an incredible honor but a profound responsibility,” said Abimbola O. Asojo, Ph.D., dean of the school. “As one of the few architecture programs housed at an HBCU, this exhibition spotlights the caliber of educators and emerging architects we produce. It affirms our place as a vital voice in reimagining inclusive futures through design.”

This is not Morgan’s first appearance in Venice. The University debuted at the Biennale in 2021 with the collaborative exhibit “WE The 7: A Conversation with the African Diaspora.” However, ReCall & Response marks its first time leading an independent pavilion, a distinction that underscores Morgan’s growing presence in international design discourse.

Professor Jordan, who was invited by renowned Ghanaian architect Joe Osae-Addo to build upon a previous HBCU collaboration, views this work as a collective endeavor.

“The pavilion is a sonic vessel—an architecture that remembers,” said Jordan. “Through rhythm, form, and collaboration, we bridge centuries of cultural disjunctions and reclaim space for Black expression and ancestral wisdom. This exhibit is a testament to what’s possible when design serves history, healing, and community. 

Jordan’s work is supported by Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Cameroon American Council’s African Immigrant Media Network, and his professional studio caj.e, which focuses on social justice and environmental sustainability. He is currently serving as the FAS Dean’s Visiting Professor of History of Art and Architecture at Harvard University for the 2024–25 academic year.

As ReCall & Response prepares to take its place on one of the most prestigious artistic stages in the world, it serves not only as an architectural landmark but as a message: that Black design thinking, rooted in cultural memory and global vision, belongs at the center of the conversation.