As many as 100,000 flowers will fill 15 rooms of an abandoned house in the Detroit enclave of Hamtramck this October. The project, currently on the crowdfunding site Indiegogo, is the brainchild of florist Lisa Waud. Waud is the proprietor of Pot & Box here in Detroit.
The two properties were purchased in 2014 for the oft-mentioned number of $500.
She was inspired, according to the story, by Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s wrapped Pont Neuf bridge in Paris, but this is a different take It has an emphasis on sustainability and a long-term plan for the properties involved, as once the event is done the structures will be dismantled, recycled, and the space used as a flower farm. It will offer locally grown fresh flowers for weddings and events and host floral design classes.
“The hope that this deconstruction and land repurposing will inspire others to see abandoned structures as platforms for art and business, and to use them in an environmentally responsible way,” writes Waud.
Reclaim Detroit will deconstruct the houses, diverting as much as 75% of the materials in the building from the landfill and to new items.
There will be a chance for the public to tour the house from Friday, October 16 through Sunday, October 18. There will also be private reservations available for couples to elope or photographers to stage styled shoots.
Below are snapshots from an event in May where one of the houses was filled with 4000 flowers over two days as a preview.
Flower House Teaser from Hello Future Films on Vimeo.
The project aims to raise $50,000 and you can find more on their Indiegogo page.