WER Alum, Brandon Bibby, ADN January Lecture Series Speaker

The Architecture + Design Network (ADN) held its first session of their 2026 Lecture Series at the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra on Tuesday, January 20th. WER Architects and Dero Sanford proudly sponsored this session that featured WER alum, Brandon Bibby, who presented his lecture, “Black Visibility: The Darker Vernacular of American Architecture”.

Brandon’s lecture focused on memory, identity, and the built environment in the forgotten acts of preservation in Black Communities across the Americas. It was inspiring to listen to and it created a space for people to broaden their view of the cause and effects of the preservation of racialized spaces.

His passion for historic preservation is shown through the work that he does. As the Senior Preservation Architect for the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, he advises on strategies for treatment and works alongside site stewards to scope and manage capital projects. 

“Brandon and I go back to the very beginning of his professional journey,” said Russ Fason, WER Architects CEO. “He joined WER right after graduating from the Fay Jones School of Architecture and spent seven years with our firm - through his internship, his licensure, and into becoming a confident, thoughtful architect. We were sad to see him leave, but are enjoying seeing the impact he’s having on the profession at a national level.”

During his time at WER, Brandon showcased his skills as an architect and artist through the design and development of the projects he worked on, such as, UA Little Rock Windgate Art + Design, University of Central Arkansas Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts, eStem High School campus at UA Little Rock and eStem East Village campus, University of Arkansas Pi Beta Phi House, Arkansas Department of Heritage and the preservation of Cane Hill College in Canehill, Arkansas.