A Jazz Institute in Charleston

Charleston, SC

The city of Charleston has a rich history and culture. The people and culture have shaped the urban fabric and created a place marked by memory and traces. The role of institutional spaces is particularly important in Charleston because of its former role as major slave port during the slave trade era. Contrary to its segregated and divided past, the present day Charleston seeks to create inclusive dynamic spaces that engage the public. The descendants of the slave trade brought with them their own rich culture that ultimately birthed modern jazz and jazz culture. The proposal, a Jazz institute for the youth of Charleston, serves to promote progressive shifts within the city. It looks back, in order to move forward. The site sits facing Marion Square, the new urban center of the city, and is in relation to the many other institutional and public buildings. The site offers both a prominent urban face on the corner of Calhoun and Meeting streets, as well as a more intimate in-filled face within a Charleston alley.