MAYOR'S DESIGN AWARDS BRINGS MIX TO UWM

FROM CORPORATE HQ
TO A PLACE 4U
GOOD DESIGN AWARDS SPAN CITY

By Michael Horne

As Mayor Tom Barrett told an audience tonight, Thursday, May 28th, 2009, one constant of cities is change. But for urban immigrants, "to live the American dream has never changed."
Milwaukee has been a city of immigrants, domestic and foreign, from its inception, and his Mayor's Design Award ceremony recognized the unchanging impact of change on our built environment in two categories:

• Design -- "To recognize projects that will last 100 years."
• Cream of the Cream City --"Those that would have won a Design award 100 years ago."

Among the two categories, thirty projects were honored. [The City's website only includes winners up to the year 2007. I'd sure like to share this year's list, but fear violating the copyright of the Journal Sentinel, which seems to be the sole recipient of this very public information for the 2008 awards, announced exclusively there today. The news is not even on the mayor's web page! --Ed.]

After his introductory remarks, the Mayor ceded the platform to Dean Robert Greenstreet of the UWM School of Architecture and Urban Planning, now in its 40th year.

"Everything is important," Greenstreet said, emphasizing the concept of univeral good design. "Everything. Not just fancy buildings on the lakefront with the ability to fly."

The awardees ranged from the corporate headquarters of Manpower, Milwaukee's first Gold Leed building (it's LEED-irrelevant parking structure was subsidized by the city) to modest domestic projects financed and produced with sweat equity.

Greenstreet talked about the many buildings in this city now encased in asphalt siding. He calls it "shrink wrap," and said, "when you peel it off, the building is preserved, and there are wonderful details."
The best example of that among the awardees lies at 918 E. Brady St., where Elan Peltz and Blair Williams stripped off 1986 faux-brick and 1941 shingles exposing a beautiful 1880's building beneath.


GREENSTREET ON THE QUADRENNIUM OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING

[From comments delivered at the ceremony celebrating the 2008 Mayor's Design Awards, Thursday, May 28th, 2009]

"We're celebrating the 40th anniversary of the school. We have really old alums now!"

He did not say, "and that's where the money is," but that's where the money is.

-- Michael Horne