Copyright 2007-2012
Built with Indexhibit

The Hypothetical Development Organization approached my theoretical cultural institution to conjure a make-believe use for this very real building in New Orleans.

The concept was then expertly rendered and installed on-site as if a developer were just about to rework the property.

Sitting in the shadow of the former American Can Company factory, this tiny turquoise cinder block beauty became the Tin Can Telephone Company, a whimsical hub for neighborhood communication.

Many thanks to Lauren Stewart and Christina Hilliard, who created the rendering.
Many many thanks to Rob Walker for inviting me to participate, and to his collaborators Ellen Susan and G.K. Darby for making the project happen.

The Hypothetical Development Organization is dedicated to the recognition and extension of a new form of urban storytelling. Members of this organization begin the narrative process by examining city neighborhoods and commercial districts for compelling structures that appear to have fallen into disuse —“hidden gems” of the built environment. In varying states of repair, these buildings suggest only stories about the past, not the future.

The Center for American Placelessness is a theoretical cultural institution concerned with the homogenization of the American landscape. CfAP is dedicated to educating Americans about the importance of place-based development and increasing public involvement in land-use planning.

June 2011
Installed in New Orleans, Lousiana