Shades of Grey

MARCH 29, 2021

But in the context of Zimbabwe during the first decade of independence, being an architect seemed like it could be a useful contribution to the world. This was probably the high point of my hopes for Zimbabwe, and one Project in particular captures that spirit. Zimbabwe has been through some desperate times in the intervening years.

Students 52

Students Education Technology Technology 52

Shades of Grey

DECEMBER 10, 2022

Pitzhanger Manor was John Soane's country house, a short carriage ride from his Town House in Lincolns Inn Field. Zimbabwe was already going downhill pretty fast. The first shot is in KweKwe, a medium size town in the Midlands province of Zimbabwe. Second time to visit these and a chance to get past the exterior. but not Frank.

Contract 52

Contract Exterior Restoration Inspiration 52

Shades of Grey

OCTOBER 8, 2023

This compilation of recent LinkedIn posts spans 4 different countries and 30 years of my life. Who knows how my career would have developed if Zimbabwe hadn't gone into meltdown. Zimbabwe in the early 90s, still full of promise and optimism. It was fun handling the architectural portion of projects almost on my own.

Sketching 52

Sketching Concept Transportation Technique 52

A Detroit Architect's Journal

OCTOBER 19, 2015

"To outsiders, perhaps, Zimbabwe is just a name signifying some random geographical boundaries. Rhodesia was a forbidden country for me, a white man's playland. I had inhabited Rhodesia, but in Zimbabwe I lived." - Nozipo Maraire, from Zenzele A Nation is born The British protectorate of Southern Rhodesia was created in 1889.

Mining 52

Mining Cities Finishes Modern 52

Shades of Grey

APRIL 30, 2022

Perhaps his greatest legacy is the “Folk High School” tradition in Scandinavia and German-speaking countries. There are parallels here with the “Education With Production” experiment that I participated in during the first decade of independence in Zimbabwe.

Education 52

Education Residential Art Modern 52

Shades of Grey

DECEMBER 1, 2023

It got me into trouble, as did the decision of two of us to walk around the cross country course in protest. This was in Zimbabwe, and I wanted them to be prepared to deal with the realities of life there. This was Brian Butchinson, an obscure in-joke. You could call it "late onset teenage rebellion" perhaps.

Students 52

Students Technology Technology Education 52

Shades of Grey

NOVEMBER 5, 2022

This was towards the end of my stay in Zimbabwe. Off the beaten track, heading towards gorilla country (the mountains that mark the border with D.R. You can see the under side of these floors if you look up when passing through some of the narrow alley ways that cut across between streets in Volterra. Mutare Club, photographed in 2003.

Building 52

Building Mining Photoshop Roofing 52

Bustler

JANUARY 12, 2022

He was born during apartheid South Africa, attended high school in Zimbabwe, and then went on to complete his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in architecture at the most ethnically diverse university in the United States: Andrews University in the state of Michigan.

Events 52

Events Management Consulting Architecture Firm 52

A Detroit Architect's Journal

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

And to add salt to the wound, a few hundred miles away, lay the ruins of the Great Zimbabwe , believed to be the capital of the Shona Empire. Ahlschlager, who would also design two of the grandest buildings in the country in the late 1920's: New York City's "Cathedral of Motion Pictures" Roxy Theater and Cincinnati's 49 story Carew Tower.

Cities 52

Cities Mining Site Government 52

Shades of Grey

DECEMBER 24, 2023

This was probably the peak of my architectural career in Zimbabwe. I was effectively a single parent to three teenagers and just hoping this was a temporary blip and the country would sort itself out. And so I stood on the brink of BIM, just as Zimbabwe was going to the dogs. Something had to give.

Photoshop 52

Photoshop Sketching Events Concept 52

Shades of Grey

MAY 28, 2023

But that's the way things were back then, in Zimbabwe at least. These are the apartment blocks in the "country-themed" clusters. Being project architect for this office building in Harare felt like a pretty big deal at the time. Looking back now I'm amazed how few drawings we needed to get it built.

Contract 52

Contract Management Students Cities 52