Christian J. Hughes is a native of Detroit, Michigan and a 2014 graduate of Hampton University in Hampton, VA, where he received the Master of Architecture degree. At Hampton University, Christian was heavily involved in Student Government, where he was able to build experience in organizational leadership, outreach, and service. His work resulted in him receiving the 2014 Alpha Rho Chi Medal for leadership and service. Alpha Rho Chi is a national professional fraternity for Architecture and allied arts and awards one graduate from each architecture degree granting program across America for their accomplishments in leadership and service. Christian is the Sole Proprietor of Drafting Dreams , an educational service that teaches architecture to students K-12. Previously, he served as Design Associate with Michael Baker International, LLC., an international architecture, engineering, and planning firm, at their World Headquarters in Moon Township, PA.
Christian’s professional interests lie in Architecture, Urban Design, community inclusion in design, and in K-12 education. He is in the process of incorporating a non-profit foundation that will educate students K-12 on careers in architecture, as a means of: inspiring the next generation of design-minded persons who are aware of how their environments are created; and increasing female and minority participation in the profession of architecture through exposure.
Upon transitioning to Pittsburgh, PA in June of 2014, Christian became a fellow of Carnegie Mellon University’s (CMU) Remaking Cities Institute in the School of Architecture, participating in their UDream Fellowship. “UDREAM” is an acronym for Urban Design Regional Employment Action for Minorities. The duration of the fellowship was June 1st through September 30th of 2014, during which time Christian completed five weeks of rigorous urban design courses at CMU. During the design courses, Christian was responsible for partnering with UDream Fellow, Aniqua Dessout, to complete one of five revitalization proposals for Pittsburgh’s “Middle Hill” neighborhood, more specifically the Centre Avenue corridor between Soho St. and Herron Ave., in response to a Request for Proposal for revitalization work in that area. The UDream Fellowship also consisted of one week of teaching principles of architecture and urban design to High School Students, and concluded with a twelve week internship. Christian held his internship at the Kingsley Association in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Larimer. As a brief about The Kingsley Association, it was founded in 1893 as a settlement house, whose mission in today’s society is: to inspire and promote social wellness and community growth as a physical anchor; and to serve as a service program provider and thought leader in the community. Christian remains active at the Kingsley Association as a consultant.
In his consultancy with The Kingsley Association, Christian’s responsibilities are: to serve as Project Manager for Kingsley’s Shipping Container Project, which involves upcycling two shipping containers to be used as both a community gathering space and an exhibition of sustainable technologies that one can incorporate in their home; to strengthen and continue Kingsley’s efforts to bring sustainable education programming to the communities it serves that will inform residents of vulnerable communities of sustainable living and economic practices and position them to be self-sufficient and competitive in global markets; and the creation and implementation of “Kingsley in the Streets,” a neighborhood visioning, inclusion and implementation model that crowd-sources resident ideas around neighborhood revitalization, youth programming and education, and sustainable education methods and programs.
Christian has held employment with the City of Detroit’s Department of Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental, where he processed citizen complaints and worked with Zoning Inspectors through the plan review and permit processes. Christian has also interned at Jenkins Construction Incorporated (Detroit, MI) where he gained experience in Design-Build, Construction and Site Management, and Estimating.