Monday, May 10, 2010

A Rehabilative Architect

How does an architect rejuvenate a building? First, the architect must understand its spirit. Second, the architect must meld this spirit with the new life he or she breathes into it. Like a grandchild listening to stories told by her grandmother, these spaces will speak to a past as well as to a present. They will use an understanding of the architect's original intentions to create new innovative and unique solutions. They will allow the ghosts of the past to harmonize with life in the present.

The City of Detroit is at a crucial point in history. A cacophony of political and economic factors has created a moment where the City must define its future. Specifically, a vision for how to breathe new life into the City’s built environment must be defined. The purpose of this journal is to document one architect's journey to find this vision. Future posts hope to reveal the spirit of Detroit's buildings and the rejuvenation of this spirit through designs that speak to both a past, present and a redefined future.

2 comments:

  1. what is that place in the pictures?
    also where is located?
    thanks in advance

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    Replies
    1. These are pictures of the Detroit Central Station main mezzanine (circa 1967 and today). It was once the main train station serving Detroit, but by the 1980s was shut down. It's been waiting for a rebirth ever since.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_Central_Station

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