Watershed design

Publications on MAde Studio

“Watershed Design”

| Architect, the AIA Magazine

Selected Publications

141

Publications on MAde Studio

“Watershed Design”

| Architect, the AIA Magazine

Selected Publications

143

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Posted on: July 22, 2014

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John Callewaert is the integrated assessment program director for the Graham Sustainability Institute. He remembers how impressed people were when Maigret and Arquero presented their findings and designs for

MAde Studio is applying its data-driven approach to Detroit, revealing ways that the region’s water systems can influence urban planning.

Posted on: July 22, 2014 DICKINSON  1

By ELIZABETH EVITTS

MAde Studio is Liquid Planning Detroit | Architect Magazine | Architects, Urban Design,... Page 4 of 14

Why VT Doors >

NEXT PROGRESSIVES

DESIGN

MAde Studio is Liquid Planning Detroit | Architect Magazine | Architects, Urban Design,... Page 3 of 14

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The Sma Thermo

John Callewaert is the integrated assessment program director for the Graham Sustainability Institute. He the Liquid Planning Detroit project. “There’s a real depth of analysis behind their work,” he says. “A lot of remembers how impressed people were when Maigret and Arquero presented their findings and designs for

The Smart people can the make a pretty map, but their ability to visualize regional data has a level of sophistication that is Potential of Liquid Planning Detroit project. “There’s a real depth of analysis behind their work,” he says. “A lot of

FROM OUR SPONSORS

Thermobimetals > rare. Peoplepeople are always by their graphics, and the integrity of their is impressive.” can makewowed a pretty map, but their ability to visualize regional data has a level process of sophistication that is PROJECTS rare. People are always wowed by their graphics, and the integrity of their process is impressive.”

Why VT Doors >

NEXT PROGRESSIVES

MAde Studio is Liquid Planning Detroit MAde Studio is applying its data-driven approach to Detroit, revealing ways that the region’s water systems can influence urban planning.

Project Profile: Duke C Center >

R+D Award: Pure Tensi Pavilion >

By ELIZABETH EVITTS DICKINSON

R+D Aw Pavilion

Tozzer Anthropology Building > Kennedy & Violich

Project Profile: Duke C Center > R+D First Award: Pulp Pavilion > view more >

E3 Civic High > LPA

R+D Firs Pavilion

view more Brian Kelly

María Arquero de Alarcón (left) and Jen Maigret near the site of their speculative project that proposes to connect Detroit’s Eastern Market to the Dequindre Cut, an abandoned railway that’s being turned into a public greenway.

MOST POPULA

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson

Detroit, child forPlanning the post-industrial shrinking city, may suffer from a| paucity of residents and MAdeAmerica’s Studioposter is Liquid Detroit | Architect Magazine Architects, Urban resources, but it’s a boomtown of urban theory. There is no shortage of clever schemes aimed at repopulating vacant Brian Kelly houses and vacant land. Jen Maigret, AIA, and María Arquero de Alarcón, co-founders of Ann Arbor, Mich.–based MAde Studio, a slightly different María Arquero de Alarcón (left) and Jenhave Maigret near the site of their perspective: What if you look at Detroit not in isolation, but speculative project that proposes to connect Detroit’s Eastern Market asDequindre a regional defined by that’s its watershed?

How to the Cut,system an abandoned railway being turned into a would that change planning? “We are interested in public greenway. different scales,” Arquero says. “And we are not interested in only focusing on the metropolitan area.”

Vashon Island High Sc

Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson has been

Design,...

Page 2 of 14 contributing editor with ARCHITECT

Integrus Architecture

Her articles and essays have appear

New York Times, Metropolis, Fast C Co.Design, and The Atlantic's CityLa

Tozzer Anthropolo Building

view more >

MOS

many other publications.

This Archite Designed W System Has

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson

Maigret, 41, a trained andpost-industrial Arquero, 41, who’s licensed Spain, began analysis of the Detroit, America’s posterbiologist, child for the shrinking city, in may suffer fromaadetailed paucity of residents and

Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson has been contributing editor with ARCHITECT

region’sbut water in 2011 through a grant from Graham Sustainability Institute at the University of resources, it’ssystems a boomtown of urban theory.

There is the no shortage of clever schemes aimed at repopulating Her articles and essays have appear http://www.architectmagazine.com/design/made-studio-is-liquid-planning-detroit_o 10-Aug-15

Michigan. award-winning Liquid Planning considered how watershedofdata vacant housesTheir and vacant land. Jenproject, Maigret, AIA, and MaríaDetroit, Arquero de Alarcón, co-founders Annmight Arbor,inform New York Times, Metropolis, Fast C Co.Design, and The Atlantic's CityLa the future planning of thehave city, alooking ground perspective: cover, stormwater, among other things.

Mich.–based MAde Studio, slightlyatdifferent What ifand youimperviousness, look at Detroit not in isolation, but Forget existing grids and boundaries; the watershed should serve as a lens through which future planning

many other publications.

decisions can be made. “This was an amazing opportunity to work on our analytic techniques,” Maigret says.

“But the thing we’re always the most motivated by is how that data plays out in the built environment, in material, and in habitable, experiential space.”

http://www.architectmagazine.com/design/made-studio-is-liquid-planning-detroit_o By 2013, the firm’s research had culminated in plans for several sites around the city, including a design for an

North Carol 2015 Matsu Prize...

MAde Studio is Liquid Planning Detroit | Architect Magazine | Architects, Urban Design,... Page 5 of What are14 th

MAde Studio

Renderings of the new walkway and water garden that would connect Detroit’s Eastern Market and the Dequindre Cut, an abandoned railroad that’s being turned into a public greenway.

Client/Own Trends Now

Maigret and Arquero are masters of marrying analysis with transformative urban architecture. The two met at

AIA Announ CAE Design Winners

the University of Michigan, where they are both assistant professors at the Taubman College of Architecture

RECOMMEND and Urban Planning. Their shared penchant for data mining compelled them to start their firm in 2010. Though VIDEO their research-heavy approach could keep their design work cloistered in the realm of academic theory, it is FOR YOU their ability to visualize and communicate complex ideas, and to work with both their students and Detroit 10-Aug-15

http://www.architectmagazine.com/design/made-studio-is-liquid-planning-detroit_o

Zaha Hadid Architects Comments Tokyo...

residents and organizations, that has given their young firm so much traction. Four years in and MAde Studio

ecological and pedestrian infrastructure linking the popular Eastern Market to the Dequindre Cut, an

has developed a transdisciplinary practice working in architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, and

abandoned railway that’s slowly being turned into a public greenway. In June, when Liquid Planning Detroit

urban planning.

10-Aug-15

MAde Studio

earned a 2014 AIA Michigan Design Award in the unbuilt category, the jury said that they were impressed by

A site map for Liquid Planning Detroit.

the “fine-grained analysis that underlies the urban designs.”

Callewaert says people are also impressed by the architects’ ability to collaborate with community. “They

Citation: Br Brick

invest time into individual meetings and to showing their partners the different possibilities that exist, instead of coming in and saying: ‘Here it is! We’re done!’ ”

First Award: Pulp Pavili http://www.architectmagazine.com/design/made-studio-is-liquid-planning-detroit_o

Publications on MAde Studio

“Watershed Design”

| Architect, the AIA Magazine

MAde Studio received a second Graham Sustainability Institute grant in 2012 to work with the Hope Village

10-Aug-15 Initiative, a project supporting an area of Detroit suffering from violence, poverty, and a deteriorating housing stock. As part of theSelected grant, MaigretPublications and Arquero designed a 145 playful open space on a vacant and fenced-off

parking lot near the community’s library. Last fall, the firm tore down the fence and hosted Dream Up!, turning http://www.architectmagazine.com/design/made-studio-is-liquid-planning-detroit_o the lot into a temporary pumpkin patch and inviting residents to discuss making it into a permanent open space for the community.

Zaha Hadid Architects Comments Tokyo...

MAde Studio

Citation: Br Brick

A site map for Liquid Planning Detroit.

MAde Studio is Liquid Planning Detroit | Architect Magazine | Architects, Urban Design,... Pag

Callewaert says people are also impressed by the architects’ ability to collaborate with community. “They invest time into individual meetings and to showing their partners the different possibilities that exist, instead

MAde Studio is Liquid Planning Detroit | Architect Magazine | Architects, Urban Design,... Page 6 of 14

of coming in and saying: ‘Here it is! We’re done!’ ”

MAde Studio is aLiquid Planning DetroitInstitute | Architect Architects, Urban MAde Studio received second Graham Sustainability grant inMagazine 2012 to work |with the Hope Village

Design,... Page 6 of 14

Initiative, a project supporting an area of Detroit suffering from violence, poverty, and a deteriorating housing stock. As part of the grant, Maigret and Arquero designed a playful open space on a vacant and fenced-off parking lot near the community’s library. Last fall, the firm tore down the fence and hosted Dream Up!, turning the lot into a temporary pumpkin patch and inviting residents to discuss making it into a permanent open space for the community.

MAde Studio

Hope Village project plan MAde Studio

Dream Up!, in which the studio hosted a one-day event last fall and turned an empty Detroit lot into a temporary pumpkin patch, inviting residents to discuss making it into a permanent open space for the community.

MAde Studio

Dream Up!

MAde Studio

Now under construction, the Hope Village open space considers both the ecology of the site and residents’

Dream Up!

desires. The space makes visible the flow of rainwater through clever interactive water surfaces. There are

Now under construction, the Hope Village open space considers both the ecology of the site and residents’

“rooms” defined by trees and sunken gardens, as well as a jungle gym resembling an abstract sculpture.

desires. The space makes visible the flow of rainwater through clever interactive water surfaces. There are

http://www.architectmagazine.com/design/made-studio-is-liquid-planning-detroit_o “rooms” defined by trees and sunken gardens, as well as a jungle gym resembling an abstract sculpture.

10-Aug-15 With Hope Village, MAde Studio employed yet another lens through which community rebuilding might happen: play. “Detroit had a history of linking playgrounds to the way that neighborhoods developed,” Maigret

With Hope Village, MAde Studio employed yet another lens through which community rebuilding might

says. “Today, in a city strapped for cash, Detroit is always looking to do more with less, and playgrounds are an

happen: play. “Detroit had a history of linking playgrounds to the way that neighborhoods developed,” Maigret

excellent opportunity to look at issues of water, but also to explore solutions for public space. Playgrounds

says. “Today, in a city strapped for cash, Detroit is always looking to do more with less, and playgrounds are an

allow us to think about a material process and an optimistic approach to open space.”

excellent opportunity to look at issues of water, but also to explore solutions for public space. Playgrounds allow us to think about a material process and an optimistic approach to open space.”

MAde Studio

http://www.architectmagazine.com/design/made-studio-is-liquid-planning-detroit_o Publications on MAde Studio

“Watershed Design”

Selected Publications

| Architect, the AIA Magazine

http://www.architectmagazine.com/design/made-studio-is-liquid-planning-detroit_o

10-Aug-15

147

1

Playful Horizons

Here, a maze of tall and short bright orange bars invites children to climb, to hang, to invent. The architects designed the variant sections of the jungle gym at different heights to accommodate toddlers as well as older

MAde Studio is Liquid Planning Detroit | Architect Magazine | Architects, Urban Design,... Page 8 of 14 children, and engineered the ground underneath to be soft enough for safe climbing. The whole structure is

meant to look of-a-piece. “We wanted the different sections to feel uniform, so that the younger kids don’t feel relegated to the kid’s table, so to speak, when they climb on the lower-height bars,” Maigret says.

Hope Village project vacancy strategies

MAde Studio may champion new planning tools in thinking about Detroit’s future, but it certainly doesn’t

In the firm’s projects, you can see the influence of pioneers like Aldo van Eyck, the Dutch architect who used

ignore the city’s past. History and place play an important role in the firm’s design process. In the next five

playground design to help rebuild Amsterdam after World War II, and Isamu Noguchi, who designed sculptural

years, as the studio plans on moving into more projects outside of Michigan, the history and specificity of

playscapes. For MAde’s Playful Horizons project, which is now under construction for the First Congregational

place—coupled with the rigors of research—will continue to inform its work. “Our practice engages in places

Church of Battle Creek in Michigan, Maigret and Arquero designed a massive jungle gym for a daycare center

where we can dig in deep and understand the history, the people, and why the physical expression of the place is what it is,” Maigret says. “History is a tool for helping people to understand that a place has always

out of bright orange bars. Unlike a proscriptive environment with single-minded items (think of the ubiquity of

MAde Studio is Liquid Planning Detroit | Architect Magazine | Architects, Urban Desi... undergone change. It’s never static. It’s in yet another moment of transformation.”

flip-able, oversized Tic Tac Toe boards, for example), Playful Horizons hopes to engage the curiosity and

MAde Studio is Liquid Planning Detroit | Architect Magazine | Architects, Urban Desi...

Page 1

Page 10 of 14

creativity of children through more abstract structures. “We really wanted pared-down elements that allow for open-ended play,” Maigret says. “This is why we use the word ‘horizons.’ ”

http://www.architectmagazine.com/design/made-studio-is-liquid-planning-detroit_o

MAde Studio is Liquid Planning Detroit | Architect Magazine | Architects, Urban Design,... Page 9 of 14 MAde Studio

10-Aug-15

A rendering of Playful Horizons, a playground currently being constructed for the First Congregational Church of Battle Creek in Michigan.

MAde Studio is Liquid Planning Detroit | Architect Magazine | Architects, Urban Desi...

Page 11 of 14

MAde Studio

Hydrophilic Hoophouse

MAde Studio

Playful Horizons

Here, a maze of tall and short bright orange bars invites children to climb, to hang, to invent. The architects

MAde Studio

designed the variant sections of the jungle gym at different heights to accommodate toddlers as well as older

Hope Village project design strategies

children, and engineered the ground underneath to be soft enough for safe climbing. The whole structure is

http://www.architectmagazine.com/design/made-studio-is-liquid-planning-detroit_o

meant to look of-a-piece. “We wanted the different sections to feel uniform, so that the younger kids don’t feel relegated to the kid’s table, so to speak, when they climb on the lower-height bars,” Maigret says.

MAde Studio may champion new planning tools in thinking about Detroit’s future, but it certainly doesn’t

10-Aug-15 MAde Studio

Calculation of water collection depending on intensity of rain for Hoophouse.

Publications on MAde Studio Design” | Architect, the AIA Magazine ignore the city’s past.

History and place play an important role“Watershed in the firm’s design process. In the next five years, as the studio plans on moving into more projects outside of Michigan, the history and specificity of place—coupled with the rigors of research—will continue to inform its work. “Our practice engages in places

Selected Publications 149 http://www.architectmagazine.com/design/made-studio-is-liquid-planning-detroit_o

10-