Designing Justice: How Colloqate Used Augmented Reality to Empower Communities

Bryan Lee Jr. is more than an architect—he’s a champion for design justice. As the founder and director of Colloqate Design, a nonprofit design practice, Bryan is committed to using architecture as a tool for social change. His work centers on uplifting marginalized voices in the built environment, ensuring that communities have a say in shaping their spaces.

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Through initiatives like the Storia project, Bryan and his team collaborate with residents to create spaces that honor local history and culture. Their approach is deeply rooted in engagement—listening, collaborating, and ensuring that the final designs genuinely reflect community needs.

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One powerful example is the story of Djembe. When initial skepticism arose, Bryan used Augmented Reality to bring the design to life for residents. By visualizing the proposed pavilion in context, the community went from hesitant to excited in just minutes. Elders and younger residents alike could see themselves in the space, creating a sense of ownership and enthusiasm.

Bryan shared his experience as a guest on our webinar:

We had a community meeting… 20 people came out to express their concerns… We pulled out the iPad and we were able to immediately dissuade folks from the kind of antagonism that was previously established relative to this project and people jumped on board really really quickly… And so we went from having a tentative approval… to having a confirmed approval and an excited constituency within about 10 minutes.