I find joy in design of all forms and scale. The spark of creativity, thoughtful development of an idea, expression of craft, and enjoyment of sharing the product is not a process limited to architecture. The following is a small collection of examples of design joyfully manifested in daily life.
REPURPOSED ANTIQUE DOOR
This mid-19th century wooden door from China’s Shanxi Provence was found at a warehouse sale in Chicago. In order to covert this to a formal dining table, I had to design and build an aluminum frame to support the fragile wooden grille and detailed carvings, which depict four of the “eight immortals.” A custom cut glass table top and powder coated steel trestles completed its transformation. Battery powered LED lighting mount underneath makes the table a piece of functional art for evening meals.
BEAUX-ARTS COSTUME BALL
The CTBUH hosted a 50th Anniversary dinner in 2019, themed as a modern take on the 1931 Beaux-Arts Ball, where notable architects dressed in costume as their buildings. I developed some quick ideas for a few GP towers, including this take on 150 Riverside, modeled by James Goettsch for the event.
MENORAH DESIGN
Towers were the inspiration for two award-winning menorah designs, submitted for the Steelcase Wreath and Menorah Competition and Charity Auction in 2007 and 2008. The latter design features a hand-poured concrete base wrapped with inlaid Hebrew script.
JURASSIC PLAYGROUND
This youthful take on the classic Jurassic Park Jeep Wrangler YJ was commissioned for Halloween by a very demanding if lovable client.
IS IT CAKE?
Promises of a luxury handbag were made for a birthday celebration, but on a budget…
COPPER PATIO SCREEN
A private two-story loft residence in Fargo, North Dakota, overlooks a communal roof garden, and needed additional privacy. Fall protection and privacy were achieved simultaneously with a system of copper tubes interwoven with sheets of unfinished copper.