FACE-ADE: THE HUMAN LANDSCAPE

FACE-ADE: THE HUMAN LANDSCAPE, an interactive installation, transforms an iconic home facade from an opaque, private threshold into a translucent wall; an intimate ‘skin’ which reveals a human landscape. It explores the question, “How do domestic architectural symbols engage dialogue about identity and belonging?”

FACE-ADE features a home with a first floor, second floor and attic. Blurring the line between architecture and art, pigmented bio-resin wall studs, contoured with human profiles, rotate in a wood structure, invite the daily cycle of the sun, and simultaneously function like ‘exterior cladding’, when closed. Embedded with repurposed, diverse hair waste from individuals of all genders, ages, and ethnicities, sourced from New York City neighborhood hair salons, it creates a shared identity; a spatial symbol of tolerance and transparency. Hair in the installation consists of varied curly and straight, short and long, natural and dyed, healthy, fake and damaged. Using the intimate and regenerative layer of hair, it additionally invokes the facade we show in public, exposing the vulnerable, versatile costume of beauty. How do we reflect on the natural, manufactured or imperfect? Do we expose or hide authenticity, and consequently the visibility of open conversation?

The installation encourages viewers to contemplate concealed narratives and identities behind the facades in our neighborhoods. Who are our neighbors? The wall pigmentation gradually becomes more transparent, symbolizing a gradual revelation of these lives. By standing on both sides of the installation, seen through hair embedded components, it will seem as if visitors are wearing the hair of others. FACE-ADE is about thresholds, borders, home and the neighborhoods we live in. How do we see ourselves in others? How do we, with our differences, live together?

OUTLOOK

OUTLOOK is proposed for the Department of Transportation Public Art space in partnership with the Concourse House organization in the Bronx, NYC. The Concourse House is a home for women and their children which works to eliminate homelessness by providing families with safe, stable, transitional housing. 

OUTLOOK, is an interactive, 8’x8’x8’ domestic installation space, uses domestic window and home portal fragments to ‘frame’ and ‘re-frame’ a transitional palimpsest of past, present and future. Classical architectural details and repetitive frame/aperture geometries from the Concourse House and site balustrade, anchor and mobilize a sense of multi-directional perspectives. The triangular sidewalk site, an intersection of pedestrian and traffic, offers a perspective over the Grand Concourse road below. OUTLOOK highlights this symbolic perspective using multi-scale window frame apertures. By looking through the installation a sense of movement to an unknown but hopeful future is felt. There are two options for the design:

Option 1: The overall space frame features an open table, symbolic of the family dinner table. Central in the space, a table frame, vertically suspended, is set with wood, colorful cutlery; an aperture overlooking the Grand Concourse through an iconic, collective, heart of a home. A grass garden fills the floor frame. Seating, designed as a frame, invites belonging, sitting by the window. The arched brick window frame, stone door surround, window lintels and pediments, fabricated with wood and pigmented bio-resin, embedded with colorful table cutlery. Empty crevice spaces in the brick and stone house picture frames for photo portraits solicited from community residents, near the site and the Concourse House.

Option 2: Concourse House window and door classical details, surrounding the window frame opening are the same as option 1. In this design, the interior space is empty, except for chairs. A table frame set with cutlery is overhead, covering the space. As daylight passes, the shadow of the table frame and cutlery are cast into the room floor. Chairs inside the space, seem to sit at a table that is not physically there and seems to come and go. While it references the past, one looks up at the sky through the table at the sun, a symbol of hope. Outside the frame, OUTLOOK, still looks out at the movement of the Grand Concourse below. The light and sun move. The traffic moves. Seen from a space to sit and belong to, a room in a public setting.

FENCE TO FACE: THE NEW AMERICAN DREAM

A public art installation, FENCE TO FACE reconfigures the iconic American white garden picket fence, a symbol of status, ownership, privacy and separation. It offers the material of personal property borders as material for face to face connections in a unifying protected enclosure. A sanctuary, it is the place of conversation where borders/fences are deconstructed into a place of Invitation and Belonging, open to nature.

version 1 features a full enclosure that breaks down opening to the sky.

version 2, simplified, opens a border between two fences for visitors to enter.

'SPACES FOR SPONTANEOUS SINGING' Los Angeles Design Festival

Los Angeles, California

‘Spaces for Spontaneous Singing’, was a temporary installation for the Los Angeles Design Festival, Market Row DTLA June 20-23, 2019.  The festival theme was ‘Design with Purpose’. This installation invoked this theme as the ‘Purpose of Joy’ by bringing the activity of ‘singing in the shower’ into the public realm.

Spaces for Spontaneous Singing’ brings the activity of uninhibited singing from a private spatial experience of one’s shower, to the public street, inviting moments of joyful expression within a new form of dedicated urban mini ‘singing shower park’. The installation, open to the public, was sited in conjunction with and adjacent to other Design Festival events and designed as an intergenerational social experience. Conceptual, waterless ‘showers’ - shower bases (stages), privacy screens and seating - can be experienced alone or in social groupings, allowing for a ‘private’ singing experience or for couples, families and friends to sing together, or sit and view the show.

The deeper concept is that in play and joy, vulnerable boundaries of the private and public dissolve. This installation pushes the boundary of personal norms into public social behavior, using an ‘authorized’ play setting for all ages. By reversing public and private behavioral, stereotypical spatial designations, it explores ‘belonging’ - where we feel comfortable, where we hide and where we test our private face in public. The hope is that this experiment yields both the stepping over restrictive personal thresholds, alliances and friendships with a community of participants, and the temporary reclamation of urban space for alternative public territory.

Credits: Renderings by Kelli McGrath

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WAVE FURNITURE COLLECTION

WAVE…..WAVE PLUS…..WAVE MINUS…..WAVE LIGHT…..WAVE X 2…..
MEDI-WAVE…..WAVE CLOSE

Wave is a furniture collection initially designed for the Bayer Leaps Pavilion. The generative, conceptual seed is the undulating shape of the DNA strand, broken and stitched together. An entire, informal seating collection is built on one piece of bent material, reconfigured into different shapes. The Waves are used as individual seats or as group seating, and inspire spontaneous conversation, lounging, audience layouts and meditation. Arranged in various assemblies, they define the spatial experience by laterally spreading and spilling out, nesting vertically or staying close. Soft finishes are added for comfort or contrast. Shown as a wood collection, they can be fabricated in metal or solid surface. For events, educational settings, workplace lounge areas and parks.

TO ORDER CONTACT DREAM@DREAMLANDCREATIVEPROJECTS.COM

WAVE

WAVE PLUS

WAVE MINUS

WAVE LIGHT

WAVE X 2

MEDI-WAVE

WAVE CLOSE

METAL SHUTTER HOUSES

New York, New York

The Metal Shutter Houses is a residential condominium building with a gallery on the ground floor, located near the Highline in Chelsea, New York City. The simple and extraordinary design of the building captures the historical flavor of Chelsea using reinvented security, roll-up, perforated shutters and 20’ high automated bi-fold doors. The duplex apartments on the interior open fully to the outside allowing for floor through views to the exterior. As Director for Shigeru Ban Architects. Photography by: Michael Moran.

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OPEN LIGHT RESIDENCE

Roosevelt Island, New York

Part of Dreamland’s RI-PLAN initiative on Roosevelt Island, the OPEN LIGHT Residence is a full design and renovation of the upper level of the family’s duplex HOME. The design opens the floor from a segmented room floor plan, creating the kitchen as the center hearth of the space, introducing light to all newly integrated areas.

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DUO RESIDENCE

Roosevelt Island, New York

Part of Dreamland’s RI-PLAN initiative on Roosevelt Island, the DUO Residence is a full design and renovation of a one bedroom apartment. The design radically alters the traditional layout into modern, connected spaces, which allow for additional uses, and are accessed with temporary translucent glass sliding doors. 

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INSPIRE RESIDENCE

Roosevelt Island, New York

Part of Dreamland’s RI-PLAN initiative on Roosevelt Island, the INSPIRE residence is a design of a two bedroom apartment. The design creates flexible spaces, in a seamless, integrated design, which open to invite light. Creative work areas and gallery surfaces are highlighted so that the residents can have private, designated spaces to work on varied projects.

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BAYER LEAPS GLOBALLY TOURING PAVILION

Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA.

'breaking through the impossible'

Los Angeles, November 3-5, 2017, the Bayer Leaps Pavilion, a globally touring installation designed by Dreamland Creative Projects, officially launched Bayer Leaps at the Summit LA 2017 event.

"Bayer Leaps (of BAYER AG) takes the initiative to generate breakthrough solutions in life science, aiming to conquer ten huge challenges facing humanity.  These seemingly impossible challenges are being taken as leaps of faith."

The Ten Leaps are:

1           Give Sight to People Born Blind
2          Cure Life Threatening Bleeding Disorders in Children
3          Cure Genetic Heart Disease in Children
4          Regenerate Damaged Hearts
5          Repair Retinas to Restore Vision
6          Restore Brain Tissue to Protect our Memories
7          Enable High Speed Animal Vaccines
8          Rejuvenate Soil and Protect Root Health
9          Shape the next generation of high performing crops
10         Develop Natural Insecticides

See THE FILM - LEAPS BY BAYER

See BAYER LEAPS WEBSITE

The focal point of the Bayer Leaps Pavilion, designed by DREAMLAND CREATIVE PROJECTS, emulates the actual concrete stair in Lyons, France, the location where Pro Skateboarder, Aaron “Jaws” Homoki attempted the longest skateboard LEAP. Injured by the leap, Jaws made a complete recovery and returned to the stair to try it again.

The Leaps Stair touring installation is a symbol of the ‘leap’ and the attempt to achieve the impossible. The 25 steps of the staircase, brings the brand mission of Bayer Leaps to life, and is a story of never giving up. The design uses the concrete stairs foremost, as the generator and seed for all design elements, finishes and details.

THE DETAILS

Since the design is generated from the stair, all the details flow from the proportions, dimensions, joints, finishes and alignments with the stair.  The massive doors, have hidden pivots and move with the touch of a hand. The exterior of the doors is a concrete finish, applied with a craftsman's hand to match the concrete panel of stairs. Inside the door finish is a softer finish and reveal the sanctuary interior. It is a minimalist monument

STAIR INTERIOR SANCTUARY

Underneath the stairs, and hidden behind the massive doors is a sanctuary, an experiential space for mindfulness, gathering, conversations, relaxation, meditation, yoga, tea ceremonies, and fireside chats.

The soft, organic sanctuary finishes on the interior, contrast with the hard concrete finishes of the exterior. Simplicity of modular details, fluid and flexible continuity, over scale and perspective, create cohesive unity.   The experience is then enhanced with transformative day and night interactive digital messaging, which tells the story of the leaps. The stairs and sanctuary welcome, invite and inspire the big dream. 

SEE NEWS UPDATE  

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RECLAIM RESIDENCE

Roosevelt Island, New York

Part of Dreamland’s RI-PLAN initiative on Roosevelt Island, the RE-CLAIM residence is a design of a two bedroom apartment for a family of five. The kitchen, living and bedroom are spatially integrated volumes, which create an open, communal family space in addition to private spaces for each member of the family. The aesthetic is industrial with the use of reclaimed materials.

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EXHIBIT RESIDENCE

Roosevelt Island, New York

Part of Dreamland’s RI-PLAN initiative on Roosevelt Island, the EXHIBIT residence is a design of a two bedroom apartment. The main space features a customized, and flexible exhibition space which feature collections gathered on travels. The kitchen opens to the exhibition and integrates the hospitality of dinners and entertainment.

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URBAN BEACH RESIDENCE

Roosevelt Island, New York

Part of Dreamland’s RI-PLAN initiative on Roosevelt Island, the URBAN BEACH residence is a design of a two bedroom apartment. The design maximizes the river views and typical beachfront residence materials to create a relaxing environment.

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RI:PLAN

Roosevelt Island, New York

RI: PLAN - “Design at the Core” 

RI:PLAN, was a roll out of 4 initiatives bringing affordable apartment renovation design options, in an innovative inclusive design process, to residents in the Roosevelt Island, NY housing core. 

RI:PLAN includes RI:POP, RI:BOX, RI:WORK AND RI:DESIGN 

Roosevelt Island, an affordable, experimental, residential community in New York City, has always been a special place with a unique history of innovation, inclusion and community. Planned in the 1970’s, the core of the island was populated with apartment buildings, whose pioneering residents could enjoy quiet, beauty, and proximity to the city. In the last decade, this popular island has attracted new residential properties, the new Four Freedoms Park and the siting and planning of the new Cornell Tech Campus. This has left the core of the island as a design vacuum while the periphery is developed. This project, RI:PLAN, begins to bring design back the core. 

RI:POP

An innovative installation pop-up, designed to be located in the center of Roosevelt Island to host short, free design consultations with residents. The design of the installation incorporates real apartment floor plans of the core buildings, that are hinged together ‘in community.’ The pop up includes the launch exhibition of the RI-BOX design tool kits that will be used in the consultations and in future workshops.

RI:BOX - Sample Apartment Models to be Used as Design Tools for Adults and Children 

Sample apartment models are design kits in order to imagine personalized space. The designs come as a box and include the existing perimeter walls, openings, structure, shafts and partitions. All non-structure and shafts can be removed from the model and relocated. Additional pieces can be added to reconfigure the spaces. This tool easily brings the residents into the process of design and can be used as a family game. RI-BOX was featured as a gallery exhibition. 

RI:WORK - Design Educational workshops for the Community, Tenants and Local Schools 

DREAMLAND hosted affordable community information sessions to provide detailed information on the process of apartment design and renovation. In the design process neighbors gather for in process design workshops, where they collaborate and share ideas and information. 

RI:DESIGN - A Design Service for Individuals and Families

Following the RI-PLAN roll-out, DREAMLAND provided individual consultations, and affordable design packages. RI-DESIGN birthed the HOME service, an easy to use menu of service options simple pricing strategies. Numerous concepts were designed and several are being realized. Examples of RI-PLAN are DUO RESIDENCE, INSPIRE RESIDENCE, EXHIBIT RESIDENCE, RECLAIM RESIDENCE, OPEN LIGHT RESIDENCE AND URBAN BEACH RESIDENCE.

NEW ASPEN ART MUSEUM (NAAM)

Aspen, Colorado

The New Aspen Art Museum is a Kunstalle located in downtown Aspen. Designed to harmonize with the beauty and mountains of Aspen, five key design components were implemented in this 33,000 square feet museum: The Moving Room Elevator , Grand Staircase, Wooden Screen, Wooden Roof Structure and the Walkable Skylights. The design captures the experience of ascent and descent, similar to the experience of skiing, using locally inspired materials in innovative ways to integrate the connection with the beauty of Aspen. As Director for Shigeru Ban Architects. Photography by Michael Moran.

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CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE RESTORATION

New York, New York

Constructed in 1872, this Landmark Synagogue was damaged by fire in 1998. The restoration retains the original historic Moorish character while meeting contemporary needs. Significant aspects of the restoration are the multicolored stencil patterns (revealed through water damage in the fire), stained glass windows, lighting, the original slate roof, roof crenellations and gold finish on the miniarets. The interior seating layout is reconfigured and a new event hall below grade is created. As Associate for Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates (H3).

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UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO BUSINESS SCHOOL

Hong Kong, China

Selected Finalist for the University of Chicago Business School in Hong Kong Competition. Sited on the historic location of a former prison, on a hilltop with sweeping views of the bay, the design takes advantage of the sloping site. It includes a shaded, open eating and gathering space at the lower level with classrooms above. Spaces in between the buildings are used for gathering. An undulating wood roof canopies all of the interior and exterior spaces below. As Director for Shigeru Ban Architects.

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GOOGLE

Mountain View, California

This design for a multipurpose building uses a structurally innovative grid shell dome, layered with curved operable screens. The structure covers movable offices, conferences rooms and open areas that allow the flexibility of use for workplace, events and concerts. As Director for Shigeru Ban Architects

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ASPEN ART MUSEUM

Aspen, Colorado

The first design of the Aspen Art Museum, prior to the design of NAAM, was located on an alternate site in Aspen, adjacent to the Courthouse. This design takes advantage of the site slope, and views to the park and plaza. The interior opens up to all views. A separate circular education and administration building links to the main gallery building. As Director for Shigeru Ban Architects.

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BANANA SPLIT TABLE SERIES

The Banana-Split Table Series was designed as a layered system of organic, curved tables of various sizes, heights and colors to fit any scale of environment, promote intimacy, and create a painting in space through furniture. Featured locally and internationally at furniture trade shows, the Series evoked instantaneous recognition in the international press and with prominent visual merchandising clients. The series was exhibited in major store windows along Fifth Avenue in New York City. Design, Fabrication, Marketing, Exhibition and Merchandising. With Dreamland.

Clients:
Macy's, Lord and Taylor NYC Fifth Avenue Windows, Saks Fifth Avenue, Mikasa, Charles Jourdan (NYC Trump Tower Window Display), Sacha London, Steinbachs

Press Articles:
American Magazines: Interior Design, Paper, Visual Merchandising and Store Design, What's New in Building, Display and Design Ideas
Italian Magazines: Interni, Gap Casa
Japanese Magazines/Newspapers: Asahi Shinbun, Our House, Wind, Dream, Fusion Planning
German Magazines: AIT, Arcade, Euwid
French Magazines: Intramuros

Exhibited:
International Contemporary Furniture Fair, Designer Saturday, Tokyo Furniture Fair, Visual Merchandising Show

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