Flash Mob Architects Invade Milwaukee
Monday I was standing on the corner of 1st Street and Pittsburgh Ave. in Walker’s Point, chatting with a co-worker, when we eyed an organized ruckus underway in the abandoned parking lot across the street. “Parking lot” is actually a rather generous term for the space, which could more accurately be classified as a thin, vaguely triangular strip of gravel littered with debris. But what was happening on that strip was nothing short of a transformation.
A group of college students were industriously raising large frames woven with red string in a pleasing geometric arrangement. I crossed the street and approached a young man who seemed momentarily unoccupied.
“What’s this?” I asked, expecting, I guess, some sort of explanation about the city’s latest public art project.
After a longish pause, the shy undergrad responded “It’s an installation.”
“What kind of installation?”
“It’s for the architecture program at UWM.”
“Can you contact me soon? I’d like to put up some pictures on our website.”
I left shortly thereafter, and – to my surprise and pleasure – the next afternoon four painfully shy but completely adorable architecture students showed up at my office with a hard drive containing over 350 pictures and a copy of the project overview.
It turns out that this is guerilla architecture at its finest. Twelve groups of students were each given a site address and a budget of $800 (underwritten by Urban Edge) to conduct “spatial investigations that question, test and challenge the open, unused and residual spaces that dilute the existing fabric of the city.” The accompanying photo gallery showcases the one near 1st and Pittsburgh. The other sites are:
Bremen + Clarke
National & Water
Water & Knapp
Bike path (North Ave & Oakland)
Bradford Beach
UWM CAMPUS Architecture Courtyard
South side of the Marcus Amphitheater (3)
Jackson & Erie
Milwaukee & Selig
In keeping with the spirit of the flash mob, no permission was asked to use these sites, so these installations could all be exceedingly temporary. But at the latest, they will all be gone by Friday. So get yourself out there and take a gander.
MJS also published a 6-photo gallery of some of the other sites. You can find it here.
This is a great idea!
I really like the installation just south of Seeboth & Water Street, but I had no idea there were so many other pieces around the city.
So that’s what was happening on the bike path- the silvery things? Cool!
Oooh, can the project at Bremen and Clark stay there? It looks fantastic, and is a nice landmark in place of the building that burned down only months before.
It’s so peaceful and welcoming.
That is the coolest idea ever! It is a shame that they have to come down!!!
My daughter is going into the Architecture program at UWM when she graduates. I hope the students are able to continue projects like this to help beautify the city in some places that are currently vacant/abandoned/neglected.
This is a GREAT idea & opportunity for the students!!! Great thing for their resumes! Keep up the great work!!
Very cool! Ride my bike on the Hank Aaron past there frequently. Very in favor random acts of cooperation, art and architecture.
I saw this installation in the Third Ward and was wondering what was up! Thanks for reporting. Unfortunately, not long after they constructed this installation, I noticed it had been knocked over. But I love seeing stuff like this around the city. Are the other installations still intact?
are any of these still around? I would have really enjoyed seeing these, and getting some great photographs too.
Definitely better looking than a vacant lot. It would be interesting to see how long they would last if they weren’t taken down.
Would be great if these types of programs were sustained and encouraged by the city itself. Beautification projects and public art go a long way to increase community engagement and pride of place. Thanks for covering the story.
I think this is wonderful. These public art displays go along way to beautifying our neighborhoods. With the financial situation our cities find themselves in it is important that average citizens take it upon themselves to make are cities beautiful through public art since the government is cutting back on this type of spending.
This is awesome! Especially for Milwaukee. I’m a Civil Engineering student at MU and we’ve had some people come in and talk about how the city needed a little kick in the pants. I think this is a great way to get people thinking about how we can turn an empty lot into a beautifully functional piece of art.