Athena Research Consultants LLC

I'm currently reading the 2006 book, "The Architecture of Happiness" by Alain de Botton. I highly recommend it. It's a personal look at how design/architecture connects us to our emotions -- namely happiness and misery. It's particularly poignant in light of the fires in and around Los Angeles and the devastation so many have experienced. Many of the recent news reels I've watched on social media are about one's connection to the house, the home, they lost. Their home was everything to them -- memories made there, the life lived there, the photos, mementos, the windows, doors, floors, and more. Many recounted how they had renovated and remodeled the house, preserved a historic house, and, with profound grief, acknowledged that their work, real intense creative work, was reduced to rubble in a matter of hours. It reminds me of some of the passages in Botton's book. One of the sentiments from the book that sticks with me is the act of noticing how sunlight hits the walls or floors of a house's interior and the beauty that light brings to the surface -- the color of the wood, the hue of a tiled floor. This is not to say, however, that everyone loves where they live or live there because they think it's beautiful. It's not necessary to honor the play of sunlight or value interior colors or be in awe of exterior landscapes. Homes are more than their designs. They are places of shelter and refuge, examples of hard work, a necessity. Yet all those who have suffered loss from these fires were familiar with their neighborhoods, the trees that lined the streets, the vegetation at the intersections, the local retailers they frequented, the crosswalks -- everything they saw and did daily that is now gone. Community has been lost. They were drawn to the neighborhood they lived in or the neighborhood became, over time, as familiar as a friend. There are many in need of help in southern California. Here is a link to verified fundraisers assisting those impacted by the fires or by fighting the fires: https://lnkd.in/evTKDNPU

I had another chance to capture some modernist vibes photographing this mid-century elementary school in Oscoda, MI, last Friday. The school was designed by Warren S. Holmes/Warren S. Holmes Co. and opened in the early 1950s. Closed just a few years ago, the school still has its original feel and a few gems 😊#historymatters #preservation #midcentury 📷: Tiffany Dziurman

It’s the modernist in me. In the field last week in Taylor, MI. C. 1972 building. 📷: Tiffany Dziurman

We were in the field recently with Jessica Flores of Preservation Forward in Berrien Springs, MI. Check out the photo of the historical panel about the 1870 Berrien County jail. Designed by architect Gilbert B. Avery, the holding cells featured two floors - the second reserved for women and their children - and a center bathing unit with a skylight and ventilation. From the outside, the jail appeared to be a typical square building. Inside, the cells were arranged in a circular pattern. Avery was inspired by other prisons of the day designed for humane treatment. 📷: Tiffany Dziurman

5141 Rosa Parks Blvd. Detroit, MI. 📷: Tiffany Dziurman #History #Detroit

Today we visited Amherstburg in Ontario. Unlike many places during the War of 1812, Amherstburg escaped destruction, earning it the distinction of having some of Ontario’s oldest buildings. Founded in the late 1700s, the town’s origins trace back to the establishment of Fort Amherstburg—now known as Fort Malden—by the British. The architecture here includes Georgian, Italianate, Greek Revival, and general commercial and residential Victorian. The town sits along the Amherstburg Channel of the Detroit River.

The future is historic preservation! These are some images still on my phone. 1. @michigancentraldetroit 2. Charlevoix Train Depot 3. 9851 Hamilton in Detroit, a current project we’re researching with Preservation Forward.

It’s a shame to see the demolition of Fout Hall, a historic seminary dormitory in Dayton, OH, dating back to the early 1920s. Let’s delve into some of its history: 1.     United Theological Seminary’s Legacy: o  Established in 1871 by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, the seminary was significant to Dayton’s educational landscape. o  In 1909, its school was renamed Bonebrake Seminary in honor of John and Mary Bonebrake whose generous donation of Kansas farmland supported the school. o  Later, Bonebrake became a top-secret testing site for the US government for atomic bomb research as well as the production of polonium. 2.     Campus Extension & Architectural Vision o  The seminary acquired land about a mile or so away from its original campus. Here, a master plan designed by Frederick Law Olmstead (the visionary behind New York’s Central Park) unfolded. The buildings were to be designed in the Gothic Revival architectural style on a park-like campus. o  Fout Hall was one of three new buildings constructed between 1920 and 1923. Serving as both a residence hall and administrative office, it became part of the seminary’s history, as it advanced the theological education of future ministers. 3.     Neglect & Abandonment o  In 1946, the Church of the United Brethren in Christ merged with the Evangelical Church to form the Evangelical United Brethren Church, which acquired the seminary. o  Another merger in 1954 formed the United Theological Seminary (UTS).   o  Over time, Fout Hall was abandoned. o  Omega Baptist Church purchased the Dayton campus in the early 2000s and planned to demolish the three 1920s buildings. 4.     Missed Opportunities o  Deeming rehabilitation too costly, the church demolished the other aging structures and is now demolishing Fout Hall. o  Another hall, Roberts Hall, was demolished to make way for new Omega Senior Lofts!! The old building could’ve been rehabilitated for that use, no? 5.     Embodied Energy Lost o  The demolitions erase all of the embodied energy invested in the initial construction. The craftsmanship, materials, and historical context vanish. o  The debris ends up in a landfill contributing to environmental waste. Sources: https://lnkd.in/eUUFfUzg https://lnkd.in/eWPSKnj6

This insightful article in defense, or should we say, in support, of the humanities resonates with us. Since our founding in 1996, Athena Research Consultants has promoted and worked with others in the study of "arts and humanities." It's where we find the most joy -- helping others expand, promote, and preserve the fields that connect us and our lived experiences. "The connection I achieved through literature highlights the critical importance of the humanities. Encompassing history, literature, philosophy, art, and more, the humanities provide a lens through which one can view one’s personal experiences–making the universal personal and the personal universal." https://lnkd.in/e9RQQMKr

Inspired by today's hot weather in Michigan, we have posted an article on our site titled, "Wish You Were Here." #HistoricPreservation #HistoryMatters #MCM #Architecture #Florida https://lnkd.in/ekJA9neA