The Fisher Mansion is the largest home in the Historic Boston-Edison neighborhood. Built for Charles and Sarah Fisher in 1922, the mansion was designed by architect George D. Mason. 

I had the unbelievable opportunity to photograph the mansion last week. I was invited to shoot the interior and exterior of the building for an architectural competition hosted by Design Core Detroit. The Instashot Competition was held in conjunction with Detroit Month of Design and featured seven photographers vying to see who could best capture the essence of the Junior League Showhouse.

The gorgeous mansion has undergone an extensive renovation. Designers have been selected by The Junior League to re-imagine the interior spaces and outdoor areas. To say this is a massive undertaking would be an understatement. Yet, they pulled it off-- and the home will make its grand debut to the public as the Detroit Designers Show House on Saturday, September 15, 2018 and will run until Sunday, October 7, 2018. Tickets to the event may be purchased here. 

Y'all-- let me tell you what an amazing experience it was. First of all, the mansion itself is just impressive. Then we have the rooms designed by a talented  roster of heavy-hitters. The interior was breathtaking. As in-- my actual breath was taken away irl.  

This home is just beautiful and must be seen in person to be appreciated fully. To check it out for yourself, please see the information below or visit the Junior League website here. 

Artists Victoria Shaheen and George Vidas collaborated on a special exhibit entitled, "A Difficult Pair," which explored the use of industrial and commercial objects transformed into art pieces. 

The artists sought to explore identity, hierarchy and material culture in each piece they fabricated. 

So I was really excited about this exhibit, because I am in LOVE with Neon. It was a stellar show, the work was intriguing and what I thought would be straight forward was though-provoking. The pieces were so cool! They had working mechanical parts! So I feel like neon is like a living thing because it kinda breathes with electricity. Now these sculptures came to life even more because they actually moved. It was awesome! 

The opening reception was held at Playground Detroit, a gallery that features the work of emerging visual artists. 

I was also beyond impressed with the space. It was my first time visiting Playground Detroit's new gallery/exhibition space and it was so amazing. Not exaggerating. It was simple and clean- but not sterile, perfect to showcase work. It's an intimate setting that somehow seems expansive. It's crazy. I loved it. 

This exhibition was also part of Detroit Art Week, taking place from July 20-22, 2018.

​DAW is an annual self-guided tour and celebration of contemporary art and culture in Detroit. It's basically an art crawl. The public is encouraged to attend galleries, explore studios, participate in art talks and museum tours. That includes parties, live performances, music + art shows. 

A warehouse originally used as an automotive factory by Standard Motor Truck Company hosted an Open House featuring local  Interiors + Makers, produced by Design Core.

Originally designed by Albert Kahn in 1912, Letts Industries acquired the building in 1989, undertaking massive renovations within the last three years-, while keeping the historical  integrity of the building in tact.  This building is unique in that it was a first-gen modern auto factory, incorporating steel-reinforced concrete in its design. 

The building still retains the original "martini-shaped" columns Kahn designed, a design element which appears to be one of his trademarks. Walking around, the colest thing I saw was that the ceilings still had the line shafts and tracks created for Standard. I seriously could not get over that- it was amazing to be able to see that LIVE! I have always imagined the Highland Park building Kahn designed for Ford- such an important piece of history in the automotive industry- but I had never seen it. This gave me an actual opportunity to see it instead of just imagine what it was like. 

Currently housing an array of artists, small businesses, and design firms, the warehouse is used as offices, gallery and production space. The concept reminded me of Ponyride, and it seems like a collaborative environment. 
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Related:
Standing on Albert Kahn's Shoulders
​OpenCo: A PonyRide in the D 
Ford Rouge Tour LIVE 

The History Channel and Ford Motor Co. teamed up to host an exclusive screening of "Detroit Comeback City." 

The preview was held today at the Garden Theatre in Detroit. Steven Gillon spoke briefly and introduced the film to the audience.
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The documentary focused on the role Ford and Michigan Central Station played in Detroit. Ford was a beacon that brought thousands to Detroit, usually entering through the Grand Dame herself, Michigan Central Station, a bustling station that welcomed newcomers with her grand style. 

​The film illustrated that as the auto industry changed, so did the city. If the automakers profits soared, Detroit shined like a diamond. But the pendulum swings both ways-- and the Great Depression, gas crisis and the Great Recession slowed the economy, highlighting how closely tied to consumer spending the Detroit area actually is. 

Throughout the film, Michigan Central Station made regular  appearances, tied into the storyline and woven into the film just as the Ford Motor Company was. Unlike Ford, the station didn't experience the ebbs and flows of the economy. Instead- its demise came when swarms of people fled Detroit after the '67 Riots. According to the documentary, it took residents six months to clear out. The Beaux-Arts beauty never regained consciousness and fell into disrepair. It  was shuttered in 1988.  

The film doesn't end there. Viewers find out that Detroit is coming back and better than ever- culminating in an announcement that  Ford acquired the train station from the Moroun family.

The automaker plans to restore the structure and fill it with 2,500 employees specializing in autonomous vehicle technology. Ford estimates the station will reopen in 2022. So it will once again be back to the hustling and bustling place  it was once known for.  

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But don't call it a comeback.

Related:
Detroit Designs the World | Detroit Public TV Screening 
Michigan Central Station Open House 
Ford Rouge Tour Live! 
​Toyota Lecture Series | Susan S. Szenasy, Metropolis Magazine 
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But wait--- there's more. Click below to read more:

Michigan Central Station has stood guard over the city since 1914. Although the last train left the station in 1988, this Beaux-Arts beauty has been an iconic symbol for the City of Detroit- the Good, the Bad-- and the Ugly.

Ford Motor Co. recently purchased the structure, vowing to restore it and fill it with 5,000 workers- about half of which will be employed by Ford, the other 2,500 will be brought in via other companies leasing offices through Ford. There was some talk about a mixed-use facility, but I don’t know how legit that info is. Ford plans to have the building renovated by 2022.

Ford graciously opened the doors to the kingdom to massive crowds of people. From Friday through Monday, it allowed visitors to enter through its arched entrance and get a chance to gawk at the sheer beauty and desecration inside the walls of the station.
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I was one of those people. I had never been inside but have taken thousands of photos of the exterior over the past 15 years. I’ve heard stories about this place. My grandparents were WWII refugees, and finally escaped into America after spending weeks on a ship— entering through Michigan Central Station.

​So it kinda became a symbol of hope to me, not despair- because of these stories I grew up hearing. And yeah, I may have felt like I was going to cry as I walked around- but that was from an overwhelming sense of history, nostalgia and happiness.

Related:
Roosevelt park Fest | How We Roll 
Detroit:The New Media Darling 
Talking Dolls, Jailbirds + a Pawnshop 
​The Pawnbroker Roared
The Story of Buntings 
And the Winner is---
​Snowflake Central 
The Remains of the Day 
When Doves Cry 

Related:
Ok Playa 
Back in Black 
Wayne's World 
Interview with Kevin Saunderson 

The Wu-Tang Supper Club
​The Throne Reigns The Palace 
​Amerykah the Beautiful

Annie Get Your Gun 
For Whom the Bell Tolls 
Kanye West + Kendrick Lamar 
Trey Day 

       
       How to Grow a Chair | Studio 7.5's Design Process 


       "We learned so much by assembling everything wrong" 

"A lot of things went wrong." Carola Zwick confessed lightheartedly, during the initial development stages of the Cosm chair.

She said that a team of eight basically had 120 seconds to act fast before the polyurethane dried as they were working through prototypes, making it impossible to modify after that blink-of-an-eye  timeframe. 

Ms Zwick said another challenge surrounding the "Cosm" came from the intricate design of the teeth- a major component of the chair's unparalleled suspension. "We had to count line by line. One line resulted in entirely different sitting experience. "

The designers worked to create a piece of furniture that would seamlessly translate funtion and comfort into a single chair.



               "It’s not an armrest- it’s an elbow cradle." 

"Our first iteration scared our client," joked Burkhard Schmitz, noting that the "elephant ears" were an unconventional, yet important aspect of the design.

He went on to mention the "leaf arms" that are integral to the overall design and functionality of this chair-- the potentially overlooked elbow support.

But don't call them arm rests! Mr. Schmitz refers to them as "elbow cradles," highlighting the importance of getting this particular part right. 
  

         "A chair should be designed like a bicycle- not a car."

An interesting declaration from Burkhard Schmitz was that approach to designing a chair should be akin to designing a bike-- not a vehicle. 
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The designers made a concerted effort to follow in the footsteps of Charles & Ray Eames:  with the intent to design with great attention to every detail. ​

"We were able to think about entire family of chairs. All provide diff sitting experience but able to use same design." 

The studio was able to illustrate the manufacturing process first-hand to the fabricators at Herman Miller. The designers travelled to the Zeeland, Michigan facility and taught their design methods for the  chair at the Herman Miller Design Yard. And although it was a challenge to replicate exactly, they were able to find a solution and produce a high-quality, specialized chair, uniformly. 

Related: 
A Day at Herman Miller Design Yard
Herman Miller | Threads 
Detroit Designs the World 
Art in Detroit | A Sculptural Adventure 

Designers from around  Detroit were showcased at the Edison Boat Club, which is juxtaposed between nature and industry. 

This event was an exploration of Adaptive Reuse, with various projects featured. Hosted by Design Core, this informative session was a pictorial display of what’s going on in and around the city.

The event itself was not only informative— but fun. From the corn hole tournaments goin’ down on the lawn to the seriously chill sailboats gliding by— the laid-back island setting, with the backdrop of the Detroit River, was beyond anything I had imagined. Add the Conners Creek Power Plant into the mix and it was as sublime a scene as that Pink Floyd Battersea Power Station album cover, “Animals.”

Architecture and Design firms are creating a ton of projects within the city of Detroit and beyond that incorporate redeveloping buildings and spaces into viable places for us to work, live and gather.

Organizations that participated in yesterday’s gallery of work included  Detroit Future City, Michigan Historic Preservation Network, the City of Detroit’s Department of Planning & Development, DNR's Outdoor Adventure Center, KRM Architecture and SmithGroup JJR.

Some structures are completed— such as The Foundation Hotel, whose architects transformed an abandoned fire station into a boutique hotel and restaurant, while other projects— such as Ford’s Wagner Place, transforming a former hotel into a workspace and parking structure--  are underway.

This was perfect timing, as Ford formally announced its acquisition of Michigan Central Train Station only days ago. The corporation plans to renovate and eventually set up shop in the abandoned Beaux-Arts structure, an exciting announcement that means even more potential changes for the city in the near future.

​Related:
Detroit Designs the World
Talking Dolls, Jailbirds & A Pawn Shop 
Susan S. Szenasy, Director of Design Innovation  | Toyota Lecture Series 
William Milliken State Park & Harbor 

The "Detroit Designs the World" reception + screening was held on the campus of Lawrence Technological University. After the preview, there was a panel discussion led by Olga Stella, the Executive Director of Design Core Detroit. 

​Related: 
Standing on Albert Kahn's Shoulders 
Toyota Lecture Series: Susan S. Szenasy | Metropolis Magazine, Director of Design Innovation 
Skateboarding on the Fisher Halfpipe
Art in Detroit | A Sculptural Adventure 

Now that Spring finally showed her smiling face--- lawn games are back in a major way. 

Bocce is the best of all (because its my fave). And while there's a few places in Detroit that offer this game of drunken skill and chance--- the spot I love is Ottava Via. 

This Italian restaurant is luxe on the inside and chill on the outside. Let's focus on the outdoor space since the weather is nice. 

This is the place that screams late-night date night. Beautiful plants and flowers are spilling from everywhere on the patio. Grab a seat around a table in a cute selection of mis-matched retro chairs that,  once upon a time- belonged in a classroom. Check out the wood-burning brick oven in the corner, nice touch.

Now let's get down to business: The bocce court. Grab your drinks and that lady by the hand because you're playin' bocce now. Toss that clay ball to the other side. Help her with her form. Twinkling lights are strung above the bocce court for added ambiance. 

Pro Tip: Weekdays. Bocce is available on a first-come, first served basis. We've been here during the day and night. It's generally easier to snag a spot in the daylight hours, plus- then you have the added bonus of day-drinking. But we've also been here at night when nobody is playing- it's all about timing.