Architectural and cultural historian Michael Allen will lead a series of public programs to unpack the complex social, political, and historical contexts of raumlaborberlin: 4562 Enright Avenue. Focused on the shifting cityscape of St. Louis and other similar post-industrial cities, Allen’s residency explores the characterization of vacancy, the emergence of new urban forms, the geography of land management systems, capital reinvestment, and the politics of preservation. Throughout the duration of the exhibition, Allen will produce a series of programs that bring together a diverse group of creative leaders to analyze the past and imagine a collective future.
Michael Allen is the Director of Preservation Research Office and Lecturer in American Culture Studies and Landscape Architecture at Washington University in St. Louis.