The initial impetus for this project is an interest in designing furniture in an apartment unit in The Pavilion, one of the residential towers designed by Mies van der Rohe in Lafayette Park, Detroit. The designs of three pieces of furniture: desk, light fixture, and bookcase are developed through a drawing process starting with a study of details and materials of the existing building.

Diverse hand drawing techniques, including superimposition, orthographic projection, and collage, are used to document the relevant details and materials. These techniques allow for exploring geometric relationships, expand the capacity for relational thinking, and lead to appropriate design decisions.

Furthermore, the drawing serves as a tool to achieve simplicity in construction details and material choices throughout the process, aligning with Mies’ minimal design of the space. It evolves into a composite drawing for the fabrication process that negates the distinctions between different types of conventional architectural drawings.

 

Location: Detroit, Michigan

Year: 2016-2017

Type: Furniture

Materials: Aluminum Channel and Angle, Threaded Rod, Acrylic Panel, Glass, LED Tape Light