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Built in 1939, Azurest South is one of the earliest international modernist-style residences in Virginia. (Photo by Hannah Price)
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Glass block — introduced in 1933 — was considered a cutting-edge material when Meredith used it in her design for Azurest South. (Photo by Michael Borowski)
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Azurest South living room fireplace, circa 1940 (Photo courtesy National Trust for Historic Preservation)
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Plan for Azurest South, December 1938 (Photo courtesy VSU Special Collections and Archives)
Azurest South is a living piece of history. Designed by African American architect Amaza Lee Meredith (1895-1984) in the late 1930s, the historic home and workspace embedded within the campus of Virginia State University stands as an iconic reflection of Meredith’s dreams and determination. Not only a pioneering architect, Meredith was also an artist, educator and founder of the university’s fine arts department.
Built in 1939 in Petersburg, Azurest South is not merely a structure but a sanctuary, where Meredith created art and architecture and lived with her partner, Edna Meade Colson. Designed in the international modernist architectural style, the building features minimalistic lines, rounded corners and flat surfaces hinting at art deco influences — considered unconventional in Virginia at the time. A particularly notable aspect of Azurest South is how Meredith personalized its design, including rare features such as glass blocks and varied wall treatments that create a sense of depth and light.
She also infused the design with elements inspired by African American art and modern design trends — an expression of Black culture and identity during an era of cultural exclusion. The structure embodies the essence of Meredith’s persistence and creativity. She carved a path through a world full of challenges, both societal and professional, to create a powerful reminder of her spirit and identity that extends its relevance beyond aesthetics.

Amaza Lee Meredith painting in her studio, the “Wreck Room,” at Azurest South in 1959 (Photo courtesy VSU Special Collections and Archives)
In a recent tour of the home and a visit to the “Dear Mazie” exhibit on view at the Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University, one could sense the solace this dwelling provided Meredith and her partner. When you step inside Azurest South, you feel Meredith’s love of modernity reflected in her use of form and space. As a Black woman in a white male-dominated profession, she was already an outlier, a pioneer facing obstacles that few of her contemporaries could understand. Architecture, in her mind and hands, became not just an act of design but an act of resilience — a way to carve out space and make her voice heard in a world that tried to deny her such things.
In a way, it’s as though Meredith left a time capsule of herself — a tangible reminder that space matters, that beauty and purpose can transcend the prejudices of an era. Meredith’s story is woven into its walls, inviting us to see architecture not just as a physical discipline but as a canvas of lived human experience, a reflection of one woman’s bravery in a world that often dismissed her as she sought to leave a legacy for VSU students, alumni and visitors alike.
Virginia State University has been awarded a $150,000 grant through the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund to support the conservation of Azurest South, also known as the Alumni House. There is growing momentum to acknowledge Meredith’s relevance beyond her community, campus, culture and the commonwealth of Virginia. She stands along with other acclaimed pioneering architects credited as creators of the international modernist style, including Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
“Dear Mazie,” a group exhibition inspired by Meredith, is on view at the ICA at VCU through March 9.