Archive for July, 2010

Expo 2010 Shanghai

Friday, July 30th, 2010


The World Expo 2010 is currently underway in the city of Shanghai, China. Staged along both banks of the Huangpu River, more than 190 countries and 50 international organizations from around the globe have come together to share pavilions and exhibitions. The theme of the exposition is Better City – Better Life, and is an opportunity for countries from around the world to showcase their artistic, cultural, and architectural talents.  With an estimated 70 million visitors, the event is said to be the most expensive and also largest World’s fair site – 5.28 square km – in history.

The tradition of World Expositions stretches back to the Great Exhibition at Joseph Paxton’s Crystal Palace in London. At that time, the Exposition provided a unique opportunity for the convening of cultures which otherwise would remain largely separate. Today, even in an era when globalization drives this cultural fusion, the Expo continues to hold an important position both as a cultural venue, political platform, and an opportunity for Shanghai to demonstrate its international significance both to its citizens and the world. (more…)

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PI RIVER PLANNING COMPETITION

Friday, July 23rd, 2010


Located approximately eight hours west of Shanghai, the city of Lu’an is relatively small by Chinese standards.  With roughly 400,000 residents, it sits along the banks of the Pi River in the Anhui Province.   Recently, the Pi River waterfront was the focal point for an extensive redevelopment effort outlined by the City’s 2030 Masterplan.  This masterplan anticipates exponential growth, transforming Lu’an from a city of 400,000 residents to one with over 4 million people.  The 2030 Masterplan goal is to create an attractive urban waterfront that accommodates this growth model, addresses environmental challenges, and protects the rich cultural heritage of existing neighborhoods and sites.

Following the City’s release of the 2030 Masterplan, the City organized the Lu’an City Pi River Urban Design Plan as an international design competition.  Shortlisted as one of four competitors, HAA crafted an overall masterplan for all future development within the city of Lu’an.  Integral to the overall design partii, the river becomes the city’s spirit.  Humans and the environment engage the river’s edge, drawing strength from its history.  This same strength is pulled outwards along projected greenways and a network of highly functional landscape systems.  These greenway connections become the most important city infrastructure, stitching together all future developments along a varied, multi-functional recreational system. (more…)

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ARTIST X: Ryan Schirmang

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

Artist X. As part of this blog’s ongoing mission to raise the level of design discourse, rogueHAA has created a new series of posts entitled, “Artist X”.  This series will highlight local artists, showcasing unique and innovative projects found within the city.  By presenting multiple creative disciplines, we hope to build community relationships, spark Detroit specific design dialogue, encourage multi-disciplinary collaboration, and ultimately, strengthen the existing Detroit creative class.

Ryan Schirmang lives in Lafayette Park in Detroit. Currently, he works at Team Detroit and M1/DTW part-time. Originally from Chicago, Ryan earned his Master’s of Architecture from U of M.

Describe your work in three sentences.

I work as a Creative Project Manager for Team Detroit, one of the region’s largest ad agencies. My job is to figure out how to make interesting projects happen- projects that will make the city better – or highlight some of our cultural assets. I also learn how to put buildings together one day a week at my part-time job at M1/DTW.

These two jobs seem a bit unrelated, but they work well for me– I’m admittedly not the best designer– so I get to learn at M1/DTW, while simultaneously using my writing & communication skills at Team Detroit. I was an English major in college. Jumping between these two jobs helps keep things fresh and gives me plenty of problems to solve.  I like that. (more…)

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PARIS OF THE MIDWEST

Friday, July 16th, 2010

 

In 1928, publicists marketed Detroit as the “Paris of the Midwest.”  Almost a century later, the corner of Grand River and Centre St in Harmonie Park was transformed to mimic this analogy.  The Parisian streetscape was constructed for the upcoming film, “The Double”, set in the streets of 1988 Paris.  Existing building storefronts were slathered with Parisian “make-up” in order to resemble the most stereo-typical Parisian cafes, restaurants, boutiques, and a Hotel.  Baguettes, awnings, street plantings, beaux art lighting, and quaint European bicycles were strategically placed throughout the area.  For two full days, these props, actors, and filmmakers energized the streets.  For two full days, the employees working in Harmonie Park realized the full urban potential of the area. (more…)

Posted in Detroit Urban Strategy, Hit and Run | 1 Comment »

E-ZINE “PLACES” FEATURES DETROIT’S URBAN LANDSCAPE

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

The online publication, Places, is currently featuring several articles that highlight Detroit’s Urban Landscape. Dan Pitera, Director of the Detroit Collaborative Design Center at the University of Detroit Mercy, comments on several local renegade projects that have been inserted into various urban backdrops around the city.  While Jerry Herron, Professor of English and American Studies at Wayne State University, develops a three part running dialogue focusing on “Borderland/Borderama/Detroit.”

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“VOLUNTEERISM IN DETROIT” LECTURE DISCUSSION

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

Volunteerism in Detroit: A [RE]Generation Strategy from HAA on Vimeo.

An army of volunteers. In Detroit, volunteerism is a catalyst for change.  We accomplish change by performing change, and the unique legibility of these efforts is striking within Detroit’s urbanscape.  Established throughout Detroit, various non-profit volunteer organizations and their dedicated, creative volunteers have successfully regenerated many facets of our City.  This legion of volunteers has provided the impetus for positive marketing campaigns, entrepreneurial endeavors, and formal urban redevelopments.

These positive interventions inspire and motivate others to contribute to our City.  And so, we ask ourselves…

How can we facilitate regeneration?
How can we become the vehicle for Detroit’s transformation?

On June 15th, lecturesHAA celebrated its one-year anniversary by hosting an event aimed at answering these questions. Entitled “VOLUNTEERISM IN DETROIT: A (Re)generation Strategy”, this event provided a venue for six local non-profit volunteer organizations

Young Detroit Builders
Detroit Synergy
Greening of Detroit
Preservation Wayne
Architecture for Humanity
Summer in the City

to present and discuss their origins, inspirations, and bodies of work within the City of Detroit.  Initially, the organizations demonstrated themselves as unique, outlining their specific programs, and then documenting their commendable efforts on a common base map of our City. Between these six local organizations over 10,000 volunteers are utilized each year within the City of Detroit.  En masse, their projects influence 60 square miles of the city.  The collective scope, breadth and impact of these projects are striking. Click here to view the Volunteerism Areas of Influence Mapping. (more…)

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