In the 1990s, Founder and Artistic Director Iris Wang noticed sunlight through a cascade of maple leaves outside of her kitchen window, which doubled as her studio at the time for the humble warehouse operations of Brentano Inc. It would serve as the catalyst for the small company as Wang then blended a painted Japanese-inspired maple leaf with a series…
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Motion in choreograph
“We are an idea-based firm. We can pivot off of any design problem and I think program is really just a vehicle to test ideas,” said Dwayne MacEwen, AIA, principal and creative director at DMAC Architecture P.C. in Evanston, Illinois. “Whether it is a hospital or a restaurant, I think you need to understand how it functions and it works,…
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The seasonal garden
By: R.Collins As autumn continues to envelop Michigan landscapes, the time has come to prepare for the winter months and the blooms to come after the snow thaws. Sarah Sella, landscape designer at Alfresco Landscapes LLC in Grand Rapids, Michigan, said introducing seasonal plants to the garden in the fall when the rainfall is cool and steady and the hot…
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Prospective learning environments
Text: R. Collins As technology and modern knowledge become intensely packed into our personal spheres, grade schools and collegiate institutes—the spaces we tend to rely on to make sense of it all—carry an immeasurable importance in the present and future of learning. Whereas in the mid-twentieth century teaching practices promoted linear, regimented teaching styles, which popularized images of front-facing desks…
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Art on theMART
By: R. Collins On September 29, 2018, theMART, formerly known as The Merchandise Mart, will host a series of curated digital artworks projected across nearly 2.5 acres of its exterior riverside façade after dusk around 7:15 p.m., launching an inaugural program known as Art on theMART. The inaugural exhibition will showcase the works of renowned artists Diana Thater, Zheng Chongbin,…
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Traverse City Tuscan
Text: R. Collins For many, the home is a dwelling space, which enables those inside to be their truest selves every time they return—a permanent fixture accumulating important artifacts from everyday life, which in turn tell an individual’s story. This was true for a condominium unit project nestled along the scenic Boardman River in Traverse City, Michigan and its owners, who contracted local…
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Royal house
Picture an aging automotive warehouse: a one-story, raw space of cement block and steel beams with industrial troughs and drains set into the floor. Then Imagine the same space as a sleek, state-of-the-art recording studio with sound systems catering to high-profile musicians, distinct areas carved out for both creativity and relaxation, a full-service kitchen, an indoor basketball court, and glassed-in…
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Great Lakes By Design: Raising The Bar
Design Corner Alexander Girard, Architect – author and adjunct associate professor weaves a comprehensive story about the textile visionary considered by some as an unknown pioneer in midcentury design Heirloom Houses – writer and designer presents an architectural monograph of 15 beautifully crafted homes by Wade Weissman Architecture Inc. Mad Scientist Table – a set of adaptive tables inspired by the modern day mad scientist…
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Traverse City’s East end
Text: R.Collins During the last several years, downtown Traverse City has developed as both a local and tourist destination filled with an eclectic assortment of eateries, venues, shops, and bars, leaving areas like the city’s eastern side less noticed. More recently, the East side has grown into having a similar reputation for locally-renowned venues and businesses that showcase the best…
