ABSTRACT
The high-rise, located along Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, is a familiar and common example of many multi-family projects produced throughout the 1950s to 1970s-a concrete-frame building characterized by banal conditions of low ceilings, rabbit-warren units, undifferentiated apertures, expedient (often poor) material choices, and enclosed by a uniform façade of gridstructure and infill. And Milwaukee, like many typical Midwestern cities, has lost thousands of inhabitants to the draws of suburban sprawl-a movement which inherently critiques not only the cultural desires of Americans in a broad sense, but also the livability and availability of the poor housing stock comprising much of the urban fabric. In light of the rapid trend toward depopulation, this project represents a commitment to urban dwelling and provides a venue to explore material options, lighting strategies, and formal devices that directly challenge the neutral and purely utilitarian spatial strategies of the many buildings produced during this period. The program of the project called for the consolidation of three small apartments. The southeastern unit, already in use by the owners as a kitchen, informal living space, and guest quarters, was to remain relatively unaltered. The remaining two units, forming the southwestern corner of the building footprint, were to be completely renovated into a formal entry, entertaining spaces, and the owners’ bedroom suite.
