Paul R. Williams: An Architect Considered

USC Fisher Museum of Art, West Exposition Boulevard 823, 90089, Los Angeles

August 18, 2026 – March 13, 2027

Paul R. Williams: An Architect Considered is a major exhibition organized by the USC School of Architecture and the USC Fisher Museum of Art, focusing on the influential architect Paul R. Williams (1894-1980). The exhibition showcases his significant contributions to modern multifamily housing and urban Black communities, featuring rarely seen archival drawings, photographs, and plans. It includes 31 highlighted housing projects from Williams's career, particularly during the second Great Migration in Los Angeles, emphasizing his innovative approaches to collective living. The exhibition also presents newly commissioned works by contemporary artists, architects, and filmmakers, including Edgar Arceneaux, Current Interests, enFOLD Collective, Darell W. Fields, David Hartt, Cory Henry, and Amanda Williams, alongside existing works by photographers Julius Shulman and Janna Ireland. This curatorial framing aims to recontextualize Williams's legacy while engaging with themes of race, equity, and the future of American cities.