There is something visceral and interactive between rider and landscape when positioned on a leather-wrapped seat of a well-designed machine, hands tightening across the handlebars. There is a freedom, a connectedness, and a thrill made distinctive to motorcycling; and a Goshen, Indiana-based designer and small-scale manufacturer is seeking to tap into the spirit of the ride with its lightweight, small-displacement…
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Singularly dynamic
By R.J. Weick Van Dam Custom Boats continues to build upon a 40-year-legacy of crafting the finest wooden boats. Vast, powerful, and unpredictable, the Great Lakes are as captivating and dynamic as the watercraft navigating them. While often overlooked by those who have yet to lay eyes on the awe-inspiring expanse and depth of any one of the five freshwater…
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United Polaris
When United Airlines Inc. unveiled its United Polaris lounge at Chicago O’Hare International Airport in December 2016, it set a new precedent and expectation in pre-flight luxury and customer service for its international business class travelers. The lounge, which sets the stage for the on-board cabin experience, is an integral part of the airline’s reinvention of international premium travel and…
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Boutique beacon
By R.J. Weick In 1893, Chicago dazzled the world with its display of architecture, industry, and innovation. It was the year in which the White City received its moniker as neoclassical-inspired buildings were meticulously constructed and designed for the World’s Columbian Exposition—or more fondly known as the Chicago World’s Fair. As a palatial exhibition began to take shape south of…
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Composition artistry
By R.J. Weick “Buick has a sense of well-being,” said Christopher Hilts, design director for Buick Interiors at General Motors. “What really compels me is this composition of artistry. There is sculptural beauty in every aspect of the Buick interiors.” Hilts was named the director of design for Buick Interiors in August 2016 and has assumed the helm of leading…
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Sounds like music
By R.J. Weick In South Detroit, where the notes of musical, architectural, and design history come together, there is a multi-disciplinary interiors studio of passionate artisans and visionaries immersed in the grit and glam that have come to define its globally renowned brand. Forged, honed, and molded for nearly two decades, Regina Andrew Design’s diverse portfolio is a cultivation and…
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Regal renaissance
By R.J. Weick The Hilton Chicago’s storied corridors have echoed with the footsteps of the most influential since the day the luxury hotel first opened its doors in 1927 as the Stevens Hotel. It is a historical and architectural marvel that has preserved its early 20th Century grandeur for more than 90 years. When Hilton Chicago launched an extensive renovation project,…
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River walk renewal
By R.J. Weick While there is no shortage of freshwater shoreline in the state of Michigan due to its peninsular shape, its accessibility, especially for the public, can be considered a precious commodity. It is a resource and opportunity one southeastern Michigan community did not overlook as a collaborative team of stakeholders, architects, designers, and engineers led a nearly $6…
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Naturally planned
Text: R.Collins Since the Midwest has been thrown into another fierce winter, the need to thoroughly plan landscapes for the spring and summer seasons is greater than ever. Great Lakes By Design had a conversation with Paul Burd, owner and founder of the landscape design and build company known as Alfresco Landscapes LLC; and Scott Philp of Landscape Logic, a…
