In a burgeoning entertainment district in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, a new multi-use complex and its nine-screen movie theater build upon a cinematic history, such as the Midtown Theater’s origins as the Powers Opera House in 1874 designed by Chicago-based architect Oscar Cobb, and capture hints of a bygone era in its design. Known as Studio Park, the multi-use project…
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Abbreviated design
In Grand Rapids, Michigan, the full-service architectural, interior, and product design firm Via Design Inc., whose work appears throughout the city’s commercial and residential sectors—and their many sub-categories—has added a new brand to its identity. Since its establishment in 1989, the firm, which is headquartered downtown, has continually added services to its repertoire, including sustainable design, furniture procurement and design,…
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Modern retrospective
In December 2019, the Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan unveiled three textile and craft-centric exhibitions that will run until March 2020 exploring how innovative people and teaching methods influenced design for generations. One of the exhibitions showcases the lifework of one of Detroit’s formative figures in interior and textile design. The exhibit, titled “Ruth Adler Schnee: Modern Designs for Living,” posits designer…
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A waterfront study in contrast
This private waterfront residence located on the shore of Lake Michigan is the culmination of the combined creative and technical talent of Sears Architects, Cannarsa Structure and Design, and Zahn Builders Inc. In a region where certain vernacular styles often reign, it is evident upon first glance—the subdued white stucco exterior combined with bold, dark windows—this home is truly a…
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Great Lakes By Design: Ergonomics
Contents: Design Corner Motawi | a handcrafted art tile studio adds to two collections inspired by formative figures in American midcentury art and design Design Spotlight A Better Chicago | a multidisciplinary collaboration looks to elevate and to support the city’s design legacy, community, and resources with a new comprehensive initiative aligned with the debut of NeoCon 2020 Natural advantage…
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Driving curve
Hailed as the “Versailles of Industry” during its debut in 1956, the General Motors Design Dome and Auditorium was an unprecedented architectural feat for the automotive industry designed by renowned architect Eero Saarinen, with the collaboration of Harley Earl. For more than 60 years, the iconic structure on the nearly 710-acre GM Technical Center in Warren, Michigan has come to…
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Playful planar
The Rapson Thirty-Nine Collection is a masterful composition of lyrical, clean lines and a planar form incorporating both comfort and functionality. The furniture line not only leaves an impressionable mark as an authentic reflection of mid-century modernism, but also manages to capture the spirit of internationally-renowned architect and designer Ralph Rapson’s original concepts. The dynamic and artful furniture pieces, which…
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The Architects: Brian Barkwell, AIA
In the past, architecture has been defined as a vocation, a field of both technical and creative study, and a conduit in which an individual can impact lives and leave a legacy. Yet, its potential to influence, create, inspire, disrupt, and include speaks to a larger import than a simple, concrete interpretation. Its significance is elusive, fluid, and subjective; as…
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The Architects: Thomas R. Mathison, FAIA
In the past, architecture has been defined as a vocation, a field of both technical and creative study, and a conduit in which an individual can impact lives and leave a legacy. Yet, its potential to influence, create, inspire, disrupt, and include speaks to a larger import than a simple, concrete interpretation. Its significance is elusive, fluid, and subjective; as…
