Race, Gender & Power in Modernist Design
Guest Speaker: Kristina Wilson, Author   
Hosted by: Docomomo NY Tri-State

Kristina Wilson is a design historian and professor of art history at Clark University. She is the author of The Modern Eye and Livable Modernism. Her latest book, Mid-Century Modernism and the American Body: Race, Gender, and the Politics of Power in Design, was released on April 13, 2021. The book examines how race and gender shaped both the marketing + presentation of Modernist decor in postwar America. 

                                         Click here to read the full story ↓

Join the Michigan Chapter of Docomomo US as we partner with Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research for Tour Day 2020. This year's thematic focus is 'the '70s Turn 50." 

Tour Day is devoted to the appreciation of modern architecture in the United States. Tours and events focus on architecture & design of the Modern Movement, and are hosted by Docomomo US chapters, partners, and leading voices in preservation. 

Our Tour Day 2020 event will start at Bowlero Lanes & Lounge in Royal Oak, which has been authentically renovated to capture the look and feel of the 1970s, when the lounge was added to the building.
 
We'll then move to Bloomfield Hills and the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Smith House. After a brief examination of some of Michigan’s architectural icons from the 1970s, Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research curator Kevin Adkisson will provide a behind-the-scenes tour of the interiors of the Smith House.

Docomomo US/Michiganis a non-profit organization dedicated to the the preservation of modern architecture, landscape, and design. The Michigan chapter was founded in 2014 to continue the work of the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office’s “Michigan Modern” initiative to document and bring international attention to Michigan’s Modernist design legacy and its importance to American history. Docomomo US/Michigan promotes this through documentation, education, and advocacy.

.For additional information & to register, click on link below>
'70s Turn 50 Tour Day Event 

Sunday, October 18th 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
Cranbrook Center for Collections & Research 
at the Frank Lloyd Wright Smith House
Bloomfield Hills, MI 

Docomomo Michigan was thrilled to present author Amy Auscherman, Corporate Archivist for Herman Miller, as she discussed her new book Herman Miller: A Way of Living, at the Ann Arbor Public Library. 

The publication is  a deep dive into  the history of Herman Miller, an innovative furniture company— that covers its founding in the early twentieth century through today.

For over a century, the Michigan-based company has played a pivotal role in the evolution of modern and contemporary design, producing timeless classics while creating a culture that has had a remarkable impact on the development of the design world.

The book spans ten chapters and includes thousands of rare illustrations that all help to  tell the Herman Miller story in a new way, documenting its defining moments alongside its key leaders.  

Amy Auscherman spoke about her book Herman Miller: A Way of Living at the Ann Arbor Library last Friday. She shared compelling historical imagery and brought the house down with her humorous anecdotes.  The lecture was in partnership with Docomomo MI. 

Amy Auscherman has managed Herman Miller’s design archive since 2014. She also served as an editor for WHY Magazine, curated exhibitions, and contributed to design history scholarship through writing and lecturing. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, AIGA’s Eye on Design, AXIS, Curbed, Dwell, Fast Company, PIN-UP,  and Surface. Podcast and television appearances include TED’s WorkLife with Adam Grant and Viceland’s Nuts+Bolts with Tyler, The Creator. 

Amy Ausherman manages a warehouse filled from top to bottom of design archives. collection after collection of comprehensive drawings, correspondence with designers and notes. Pieces of fabric, sketches and prototypes. Advertisements and samples. All piled strategically in a strictly regulated climate. 

To get even more material for the book, she headed over to the film collection archives that call the Library of Congress their home.

Amy pored over one million photos, negatives, and prints at the National Archives. She reviewed images from photos shoots that could only be categorized a sculptural-- seeing furniture as art pieces as she worked on completing the  book. 

Of note is that the adminastrative assistant at Herman Miller  are the ones that actually made these archives possible. And Amy pointed out the importance of personal self archiving.

The Henry Ford (museum) is the  largest recipient of Herman Miller  furniture and it is worth noting that Cranbrook hosts open storage tours of their archives that include pieces from Herman Miller. 

In a disappointing conclusion-- it was stated that a large portion of Noguchi designs are mia. But interestingly enough-- and to highlight the importance of Herman Miller's collection techniques: ​at one point, Nuguchi called Herman Miller to ask for his coffee table.

The event took place on Friday January 17, 2020, and was produced in partnership with the Michigan chapter of Docomomo US and was generously whosted by Martin Bandyke, morning drive host on Ann Arbor's 107one.  

Detroit Institute of Arts 
Detroit Collects: Selections of African American Art from Private Collections
November 12, 2019 - March 1, 2020

The Balogh House sits in a wooded setting in Plymouth, Michigan. It is a custom-built home from the Mid-Century Modern era designed by architect ​Tivadar Balogh.

Built from 1958-1959, this Modernist home was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 2013.

The home received numerous accolades for its distinctive style. The  renderings won a Progressive Architecture Award Citation in 1957.

The home just went on the market and is listed for 750k.

I was invited to a press conference by the DIA announcing the winning entries of an International Design Competition. The media event was held in the Burton Historical Collection room at the Detroit Public Library's Main Branch 

The competition brought together designers from around the globe and down the street, who worked to create a cohesive outdoor space that brings together Detroit's cultural institutions. The event was a partnership among the institutions in the cultural center and was held at the Detroit Public Library's Main Branch. 

The winning concept "Detroit Square" brings placemaking to the significant cultural institutions in the Detroit Cultural Center. It will serve to unify the often unused outdoor spaces and create a more streamlined experience for visitors. The winning designs were selected from 44 entries. 

The selected design teams include the following: Paris-based firm Agence Ter, a Detroit architecture + design company akoaki, Ann-Arbor design firm rootoftwo + a landscape designer/city planner Harley Etienne. 

As Maurice Cox-- Detroit's Director of Planning & Development, said in his opening remarks, “Detroit is daring to dream big again.“ ​

He noted that Detroit has never been afraid to take on challenges, and continued by praising the efforts of the entrants, saying the winning design will take the city to another level. He said the winning entry exhibited a “World class, international reach, steeped in local knowledge, which distinguished this winning team." The design allows all of the cultural institutions to come together, marrying their 12 distinct identities into one. 

Neil Barclay, President + CEO of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History was impressed that all institutions collaborated to create a unified initiative, and that each institution weighed in and listened together for the greater good of all. Observed early on in the process that “All cultural leaders met together at the table to enhance the cultural life of the city.“ Coming to Detroit from LA, he stated that it’s extremely unusual for cultural centers to meet and collaborate.

​JoAnne Mondowney, the Executive Director of the Detroit Public Library aptly described the initiative as “a front row seat to history.” She said the  project will shape the lives of many, while being  a wonderful opportunity to be creative + inventive. She told the audience about the historical nature of the library-- including the significance of Ford and the automotive industry carving out its beginnings in the city, and of Thomas Edison using the Detroit Public  Library as a boy. 

There are so many stories intwined within the walls of our cultural institutions— and now they are given ‘permission’ to carry beyond the structures. This initiative seems to address the disconnected outdoor spaces of the museum district. It serves to create a continuity and encourage a flow that will extend the reach of each separate institution and crate a seamless/cohesive outdoor environment that instead encourages discovery and exploration.

To check out the renderings, click the first link below!  
​

Related:
Renderings for DIA Plaza | Midtown Cultural Connections International Design Competition 
​Detroit Comeback City: Exclusive Screening, Hosted by The History Channel + Ford 
Detroit Startup Week | Fireside Chat with Big Sean, Google + Def Jam 
"Detroit Designs the World" Screening | A Detroit Public Television Preview 

Newly-released renderings from the Cultural Center Planning Initiative Press Conference. The press event was held at the Detroit Public Library-- Main Branch. 
​
Images + my rundown of the event will follow. Until then, check out some key information pulled from he official press release: ​↓↓↓

​I recently attended a presentation at Mutual Adoration in Detroit. The theme was "Preserve," and the featured speaker was Amy Haimerl, a professor of Journalism and author of the book "Detroit Hustle." Below is an adaptation from Amy's talk-- basically a love story about a city. Detroit City.

We fell in love with Detroit. 

​Amy and her husband Karl had visited the city over many years-- and something kept calling them, nudging them to return. The people they met-- in the neighborhoods, at the coffee shop, at the dive bars around town, kept drawing them back.

At the time, they were living in Brooklyn, but just couldn't get Detroit out of their minds. They imagined the city and what it would be like to create a life there. As many of us that live here have experienced-- people thought they were crazy. What were they thinking! said everyone (probably).    

Click to Read More                                                   ↓↓↓

This weekend, we had the opportunity to check out Patti Smith’s House. Smith lived in the home with her husband, MC5 guitarist Fred "Sonic" Smith and their children. The couple wrote their “Dream of Life" album here. 

The Smiths’ purchased the charming waterfront  home in 1980, and raised their family there—  on the outskirts of Detroit, for years. Smith eventually sold it in 2017, after leaving the Midwest for NYC years earlier. 

The “storybook” Tudor in Saint Clair Shores, Michigan is unbelievable in every way. Built in 1918, the home is a showstopper, yet at the same time, charming. The exterior is reminiscent of a castle, while the interior has unparalleled architectural detail. Every room has something special. There’s even a secret passageway (a revolving bookshelf) to a hidden wine cellar— especially popular during prohibition. (wink, wink) The property features lake views and it’s backyard is a canal. 

IIt's basically a gorgeous beyond-belief home with amazing attention to detail, impeccably decorated, (the furnishings are negotiable I believe) with stunning canal views. 

My absolute favorite things about this house are: the outdoor entertaining areas off the canal-- the rooftop terrace, the wooded hamlet for casual gatherings + the boat access. The staircase was beautiful, with cathedral ceilings to match. I also loved the former boathouse, transformed into a Game Room, and the garden room-- filled with diffused sunlight, right off the main living space. The floors were awesome, aaand have my dream come true-  radiant heat flooring! And for some reason, I can't stop thinking about the dining room, but honestly-- I think it was just the decor, hahaha, b/c it's basically a pass-through. 

As if this home didn’t have enough history + stories tied to it, there’s another twist! The listing agent, who is well-versed [understatement] about this property and knows pretty much everything about this home—  once lived here. 

So if you're in the market for an early 20th century charmer- I guess that this might be the place. 

Related:
​Guess Who's Coming to Dinner 
Who Shot Ya? 
Women Who Rock 
Edison Boat Club | Adaptive Reuse 
Fisher Mansion: Architectural Photography 
First Cut is the Deepest