Visual Thinking by Studio Junglecat

Illuminations: 2 billion gallons, 2010, light projection

Over the summer, I had the good fortune to participate in a design-activism workshop assembled by Rick Valicenti of Thirst and Moving Design. Call to Action gathered 16 artists, designers, educators, architects, and one engineer. The objectives were open-ended, and our time together was brief. Our challenge: To bring greater awareness to Chicago’s use/abuse of its most precious natural resource, Lake Michigan, via infrastructure, demand, and water quality issues. Read more…

Very excited about two projects I am wrapping up for two new interesting businesses being hatched by two long-time friends. I don’t want to say or show too much because they’re not yet finished, but they’re quite different and both a lot of fun in their own unique ways. For now, I’ll just leave a glimpse, but the full unveiling should happen soon.

Lake Michigan Warning: Low Charge

Yesterday’s Infrastructures for Change Symposium, hosted by Archeworks and focused on a Great Lakes Model for water use, was a fascinating foray into the converging worlds of regional planning and resource management.

I have lived most of my life on or near the Great Lakes. Nonetheless, the scary, optimistic, provocative, and unprecedented ideas for the possibilities of our collective future really brought home to me the incredible value this ecosystem represents. My brain is too overwhelmed to think much further just now, but here’s my first impression based on the massive amount of input.

Last night, I learned much about Chicago’s landmark architecture and primary waterways via an evening boat tour along the Chicago River and Lake Michigan lakefront. This tour was aboard the Wendella, which has been operating similar tours for 75 years and departs daily from the Wrigley Building.

This tour was the kickoff event for an upcoming design workshop that will focus on issues surrounding current and future water use in major metropolitan cities. Many more details on that project will be forthcoming.

In the meantime, enjoy the sights of this beautiful city.

Being a native Michigander, I am full of home state pride and admiration for those two lovely peninsulas surrounded by the appropriately named Great Lakes. It’s a land of vast contrasts both natural and man-made—from the rugged wilderness of the U.P. (that’s Upper Peninsula, for those not in the know) to the modern ruins of a 20th century city found across Detroit. Read more…