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Photo taken yesterday of a shop window located in Toronto's high-end shopping district:

The results of an international Packard plant "ideas" competition for "Re-animating the Ruins" have recently been posted here:
http://parallelprojections.com/rtr-results

What do you think about...

Just saw this short bit on goats being considered as "natural lawnmowers" for a trendy area of Brooklyn. Looks like an inclination that's sweeping the nation:...

Was in Portland OR a few days ago where they have over 600 food carts and trucks, every nationality:

A song I wrote with The Bongo Man, "What I See in the D"
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HHIFX5PfqBo

Nobody boring in Detroit!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HHIFX5PfqBo

"One-One-Three-Oh
Dee-troit radio
Well naturally it's W-CAR,
In the city of cars it's W-CAR."

Not my choice of stations, but stored in my head, dormant until this moment.

When I was about 4 yrs old I believed that the "J. L." referred to a jail. In my mind J L Hudson's was a combo amazing store and jail on the same downtown property. My parents thought this...

Thanks for this example which I think is what we are talking about. Add some textured and/or industrial materials used in an updated, creative way that might say you're in Detroit and I'm there!!
...

Good architects make the best, most creative use of the client's investment. Others blame the budget for boring design.

I think the darker brick color looks better in this freep article, more weathered, more like the Willys building:

http://www.freep.com/article/20131215/BUSINESS04/312150034/

I too have high hopes that Gilbert's team makes a beautiful landmark on the Hudson's site.

I have always been proud to tell anyone I was born in the city of Detroit. But I will be less proud if...

I agree with much of what you say but my concern is that there will be slow slide to mediocrity if the bar is set low and stays there.

Not every building should shout, "Look at me!" but there can...

You have summed up my thoughts and concerns.

I can understand why some people are happy just to see empty spaces filled and the economic activity. But there is also a huge opportunity to push for...

UGH FARMINGTON! But I would not want to see repros at any cost. Detroit has texture and creativity that can be part of a feasible design. Industrial roots can be re-imagined with textured materials...

Agree with the suburban comments, and it could be anywhere, IMO.

Is it too much to ask for the design to say something about the identity of a revitalized Detroit? Or reflect the city's...

You are probably right about this.

And I'm sure they will push on regardless of any questions posed here. In my experience, lively discussion about a proposed design and/or site possibilities is...

That's what I like about this forum - you can get "hunting tips" and insight into human potential all in the same Thread.

Dan, Speaking of the need to learn things beyond conventional lessons, maybe an interview I recorded recently will reinforce your decision to pick up your previous work.

The video came about as I...

That the thing, it's not so much a lack of money, but a lack of soul that gets us buildings that are missing the human dimension. Zero personality.

And a lack of guts, I might add. As...

In case anyone is interested in my photo essays about what makes Detroit visually interesting, plus some questions and concerns direct from the mean streets:


"Who stole the soul?" ...

Please, please, please let's not fall into the trap of believing that there has to be a trade-off between interesting and the budget.

Detroit is not bland and boring. It is not a generic place....

Thanks for this - a very useful quote.

So I guess the concept that public transit reduces the amount of traffic for those who choose to drive does not apply here? People from the suburbs will never take light rail into Detroit as they do...

When this bit of news spreads it will confirm to the world that priorities in SE MI continue to be backwards.

sumas, Django, SDCC, Danny and MotorCityTrikes thanks for your words of encouragement - my first poem. MotorCityTrikes, your "Mean Streets" is ace!

To the downers, the "reality" is that both bad...