THROUGH THE LENS OF Roscoè B. Thické III
As an architect, I am deeply invested in the way spaces shape people and how people, in turn, shape those spaces. Few artists capture this interaction as passionately as photographer Roscoè B. Thické III. His images are not mere photographs but explorations of space—built by memories, identities, and communities. Thické’s work captures the raw essence of Black life in spaces , the blueprints of lived experience.
Much of Thické’s work revolves around Liberty City, Miami’s historic Black neighborhood where his family has deep roots. His project 1402 Pork N Bean Blue documents his grandmother’s house, a Liberty Square unit in the “Pork & Beans” projects—a place bound by both familial warmth and the impact of urban redevelopment. The transformation of Liberty City is part of a larger pattern: Miami’s prized real estate is increasingly at risk of climate-driven gentrification. However, Thicke’s lens serves as a witness to the soul of the neighborhood—a characteristic architects aim to preserve but are sometimes forced to abandon.
Roscoè B. Thické III’s images bring an intuitive, human perspective to spaces often overlooked, transforming everyday moments into profound expressions. In one image, two kids stand at a doorway, a threshold between private life and the world beyond. Another photograph shows a man seated on a porch, an icon of stillness and contemplation amidst an ever-changing environment. A third image depicts kids playing basketball—a scene of confident joy that speaks to how public spaces become sanctuaries. The final image, two children drinking from a water fountain, capturing a moment of duality in a shared space. Together, these images illustrate how spaces—whether doorways or porches—are infused with the lives that move through them. They highlight the unique architecture of Black neighborhoods, shaped not by design alone, but by the interactions, memories, and relationships that thrive within them. Thické’s lens conveys a philosophy I hold as an architect: that our environments shape us as much as we shape them.
Photography, like architecture, is a practice that envisions eternalness. Thické’s body of work preserves the emotion around Black spaces, capturing not just structures but the essence of communities in Miami. His images hold power, reminding us to approach our designs with humility, to recognize the histories embedded in every brick and corner.
