Auburn University students debut ‘Building Memory’ exhibit

Architecture students from Auburn University have launched a new art exhibition titled ‘Building Memory’ at the Birmingham Public Library’s Central Library. Located in the 4th Floor Gallery, the exhibit is a collaborative project between the university’s Interior Architecture Program and the library’s Department of Archives & Manuscripts.

The exhibition, which debuted on October 20, will remain open through December 31, 2026. The project stems from a summer initiative where students engage with primary resources in the archives to translate historical research into creative architectural visions.

For this specific installation, students were tasked with reimagining the third floor of the Linn-Henley Research Library as a ‘Community Memory Lab’ and expanded archives. The designs explore how physical spaces can serve as vessels for memory, blending preservation with community participation and storytelling.