Exhibit: Vertical Urban Factory

A new exhibit at the Skyscraper Museum in NYC takes a unique, relevant approach to industrial history with Vertical Urban Factory:


Vertical Urban Factory features the innovative architectural design, structural engineering, and processing methods of significant factory buildings from the turn of the 20th century to the present. Now, over a century after the first large factories began to dominate our cities, the exhibition poses the question: Can factories present sustainable solutions for future self-sufficient cities?


An interesting reminder that factories were once fundamental to the pre-sprawl urban experience, and a potentially powerful platform for considering current realities and future possibilities.


 New York Times review here.

Views of Lawrence

Spent an awesome afternoon in Lawrence, Mass. yesterday. Lawrence is one of the most dramatic post-industrial landscapes I have ever seen, and home to the amazing Lawrence History Center. 100 years ago, Lawrence was the wool textile capital of the world and home to thousands of immigrant families trying to grab an incredibly elusive, often cruel piece of the (not-yet-coined) "American Dream" in the city's cavernous mills.

The mills -- which formed the basis for the city's entire economy -- began shutting down mid-century. Families continued coming from all around the world, particularly from Latin America in the past half-century, putting down new roots and making a life in this old city.

Today, Lawrence is still struggling tremendously with the economically devastating loss of its manufacturing sector. At the same time, there is incredible resiliance, community energy, and life among the often empty (and insanely dramatic) old brick factories. Every time I visit, I'm totally inspired by the History Center. Archive, community center, museum, gathering place, anchor -- this is one tiny non-profit with a big and growing reach in Lawrence. In a city that has seen more than its share of community division and economic dislocation, the Lawrence History Center uses history as a tool to connect people across languages, cultures, and experiences. I urge you to check them out.

Now, some pictures of old industrial stuff: