Occupy Vacancy

Occupy Vacancy is a public art initiative co-founded by St. Louis–born artists Brianna McIntyre and André Fuqua. Grounded in human-centered community development, the project reshapes the physical landscape of St. Louis City by transforming vacant, city-owned lots into vibrant third places for neighborhood-specific public art. Through sculpture and spatial design, Occupy Vacancy responds to the layered histories of race, architecture, and legacy that shape St. Louis’s Northside. Brianna McIntyre is a visual and installation artist, interior architect, furniture designer, and Creative Director of Occupy Vacancy. Her practice engages narratives related to place and home, invisible women-centered labor, race, and the politicized performance of beauty imposed on Black women. André Fuqua is an interdisciplinary artist and Design Engineer of Occupy Vacancy. Trained as a civil engineer and materials scientist, his work bridges sculpture and infrastructure, examining how visibility shapes power and perspective within both natural and built environments.