Clarence Song
this is a live/work space, not exactly the artist’s garret of alegri, but still, a highly designed home for creative production and healthy living. above we see the main area, a large “living room” with a dining nook. outlined are the elements of the central area: designing (work), and relaxing, connecting, and enrichment. mid century furniture, largely found in thrift stores, online sites, and estates sales, gives the place a retro/modern feel. japanese and danish aesthetics resonate throughout as well, with elements from eastern europe, africa, tibet, india and italy all combining seamlessly to create a busy highly functional environment.
this is an elevation of the north wall, deceptively simple, which has many key roles in the functioning of this space. maddie the dog can access the outdoors without having to risk a confrontation in an enclosed hallway, which could result in hostilities. a small hook creates a station for her leash and a messenger bag for her supplies.
the stereo system provides warm sound that obligates the listener to slow down, carefully select and clean each disc, and operate the turntable--in short,
everything today’s digital listener has unfortunately jettisoned for an inferior experience. the natural light that enters through the sliding glass door nourishes plant life, a key element in well being. the opening also provides a view of a large hedge and the trees and yard beyond.
the diagram above delineates the two main elements of work and life, the former built around an italian drafting table. on most days, the working zone is intentionally limited to protect the oft-neglected but equally essential activities that the area provides: dining, relaxing, and enrichment. but it does have the capacity to effortlessly expand, creating a design workshop that include a large dining table, which itself expands using its internal leaves; a mccobb, travertine table; a hand-crafted console, which is a conveniently tall computer desk and tool shelf; and a bench, couch, and dining chairs that provide varied seating choices to break up the grind. precious illumination is maximized with unobstructed natural light serving all areas, while floor lamps augment the style and warmth of the area. finally, the dog track, a welcome accomodation for maddie, also benefits persons moving through the crowded but functional footprint.
the map is both chronological and geograhical, following the path that modernism takes from early twentieth century germany, through the now celebrated midcentury, and into the present--my present--here in michigan. It also traces the distant and sometimes surprising ties that style and taste fomr across vast parts of the globe, from poland to japan and brasil.
here we see a a figure ground illustration of ann arbor’s central campus area. small houses on the left side are encroached upon by larger buildings of the commercial district. on the right, university facilities are also substantial, but sit among larger areas of parks and greenery.
near the original cottage inn pizza, and across from tower plaza, the iconoclastic z west apartments assert themselves as a multi-use facility with stores, restaurants, and the now ubiquitous gym. designed by a local firm, the building is unique in some ways, and eclectic. it’s also in line with trends of maximizing space, fashionable finishes, and awkward combinations of architectural styles.
from the north, this oblique view reveals the apartment’s almost u-shaped form. whether it was the result of aesthetic choices or driven by a desirer to maximize occupancy on an awkward footprint, the facets that line the hollow are interesting, but, the opportunity to develop something like an outdoor space, courtyard, or some sort of commons in the pocket, has gone missing.
housing seems to be a central issue that is confronting even the wealthiest nations, like the u.s., in some cases moreso than countries with high rates of ownership and socialist-driven housing policy like serbia. here we see costly apartments for students that add to already onerous levels of debt accrued as young people struggle to get quality educations that will give them a leg up in an uncertain economy, and anxious times. creative solutions that can provide cost-effective housing, well-being, and healthy environments in which students can develop themselves should be on everyone’s agenda in the modern college town.