Natural landscapes can often re-energize, bring peace of mind, and help people feel centered within their life. In larger, busier cities, where manmade infrastructure is sprawling and the population is diverse, many times nature is not as accessible to most. Though sustainable practices that help preserve nature may not often be prioritized, in Toronto, an organization known as Waterfront Toronto has set out to put people first by reconnecting them with the waterfront in the design of projects that are environmentally and economically sustainable. As part of that initiative, the organization plans to debut one of its larger-scale projects, called the Port Lands Flood Protection Project, to the public in…
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Great Lakes By Design: Architectonics
CONTENTS DESIGN CORNER 17 Atlas | the sleek and simple lighting solution designed by Most Modern 18 Kissen, Vuelo | the sculptural cushioned chair and aviation-inspired lounge furniture designed by Johnson Chou Inc. of Toronto 19 Olive Hill | the most recent ceramic tile design inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright added to Motawi Tileworks’ collection DESIGN SPOTLIGHT 27 Rainbow Center | the UH Rainbow Ahuja Center for Women & Children in Cleveland, Ohio, designed by Moody Nolan, is a hub of coordinated, family-focused care in its community 33 Freedom House | the award-winning project for nonprofit organization Freedom House Ministries Inc. in Green Bay, Wisconsin offering transitional housing and programming for families 68 Celebrated art story | the continued renovation at…
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Enriched space
Communities are defined by a set of unspoken social and cultural norms, strengthened by shared beliefs and often united by similar factors such as inclusion, safety, education, engagement, and sustainability. While each is unique, there is a common potential and ability for fostering healthy, supportive environments for the people who make up that community. In Toronto, Ontario, ZAS Architects + Interiors Inc. sought to realize an innovative campus set among a sprawling vertical neighborhood intended to provide a shared social and educational space, and ultimately meant to cultivate that greater sense of community. Combining forces to create a learning and community nexus within Toronto’s downtown space, two publicly funded school…
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Work of Art
In its location just outside central Minneapolis, the Walker Art Center stands as a storied architectural fixture with a contemporary pulse on national and international arts and design across eras and disciplines, from architecture, visual, and performing, to media arts. Its famous design by Edward Larrabee Barnes in 1971 and modern steel-clad addition designed by Herzog & de Meuron—plus a more recent addition by Minneapolis-based design firm HGA—are joined with the adjacent Minneapolis Sculpture Garden to form a 17-acre campus that hosts millions of visitors per year. In the summer, this groundbreaking work of architecture’s rooftop is also the site for ten distinctive, artist-designed holes of mini golf. At Skyline…
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Great North
Other than the distinctive, lakeside residential styles born from craftsmanship that are second-to-none, and regional access to the fruits of trade and industry—from agriculture to winemaking—the Michigan real estate market hosts a number of opportunities for recreational real estate. Dozens of riparian and lake-mass waterways create ample fishing and boating opportunities, while rich, forested pockets throughout—and upper regions specifically—make for fine camping, hunting, and lake homes. It is within this unique sector of recreational real estate, both regionally in Michigan’s lower and upper peninsulas, and nationwide, that Great North Real Estate of Alpena, Michigan works and travels. “It’s the diversity of the market from a recreational aspect [that is unique],”…
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Under the tees
In Franklin, Michigan, the nationally-ranked greens and nearly century-old, clubhouse architecture of the Franklin Hills Country Club have been complemented by two modern—and major—additions, courtesy of Detroit architecture firm of McIntosh Poris Associates. The two deliverables, comprising a 1,700-square-foot, subterranean, training facility and an extensive, pro shop renovation, invited many complexities and considerations to the project, which was finished in time for the 2019 spring-and-summer season, and in preparation for the club’s quieter cold months. The architectural team added modern amenities and comforts for the avid golfer year-round, while respecting the existing views and architectural character that club members have held dear. “We had a long relationship with [Franklin Hills]…
