a visit: Lafayette Park

So apparently I have been living under a rock because I only just heard about Lafayette Park (which is especially embarrassing considering how often I visit Michigan)

townhouses designed in u-shaped formation

The residential complex, designed in the 1950s by architect Mies van der Rohe, was part of an urban renewal project. It is located just Northeast of downtown Detroit, and features the largest collection of buildings in the world designed by the architect.

one-story villa

The buildings are designed in the International Style which the architect became famous for, including elements such as exposed steel, glass curtains, clean proportions and interiors which open to the outdoors, creating spaces that allow in natural light and appear spacious.

(we have the same Stelton thermos which we

brought back as a souvenir from our trip)

Remarkably, despite the current economic crisis in Detroit, this development is still thriving.

Outside each townhouse, the residents are given a space of land that may be used as a garden. As one resident said, "Mies's floor-to-ceiling windows make the spaces feel open, while at the same time the canopy of trees makes you feel protected. It's a private, quiet, green oasis within spitting distance of the freeway, and you'd never know it."

(images by Dwell Magazine)