House is a feeling that no one can understand really unless you're deep into the vibe of house.

What's that? You haven't heard about the $100 Detroit house yet? Walter Wasacz over at Model D says that the new ideas being generated here are priceless. Is Detroit the next Berlin?


I don’t really know what I can say that hasn’t already been said about Mitch Cope and Gina Reichert’s Power House Project. They've been all over the media radar ever since Toby Barlow's $100 House Op-Ed contribution was published in the NYTimes on 7 March 2009. The Detroit News follows up. Watch the $100 house segment from 20/20's "Life on the Edge" here.

The Power House Project has taken over the airwaves on Michigan Radio, All Things Considered and Boston's Here & Now.

Ismael Estrada, producer for Anderson Cooper 360 asked: what would you do with a $100 house? I have to try hard to ignore all the uninformed comments at the bottom. Mitch and Gina are not bourgeois, suburban artists trying to create some kind of elitist artist community in a rough neighborhood. The idea is to integrate art into existing communities while employing ideas of alternative energy, community gardens and human resources provided by the neighborhood people.

Dwell discusses the hopefulness of art in Detroit. I have always had a hard time convincing people that there is a glimmer of hope in my Detroit photography of abandoned boats out of water, firebombed cars, crumbling architectural gems and depictions of nature taking back parts of the city. I swear, I can see the hopefulness.

Amazingly, when they aren't adding accomplishments to the Power House Report, Mitch and Gina operate Design99 (which they describe as "retail space for experimental design and contemporary architecture that blurs the distinction between art and design.") in Hamtramck, conveniently located on the corner of Gallagher and Caniff in close proximity to Al-Haramain Market which has great fresh produce, bulk spices, nuts and a boundless olive bar. The owners of Al-Haramain also run the snazzy Middle Eastern restaurant across the street, Royal Kabob.

Keep your eyes peeled on the Power House blog for updates. Mitch and Gina work fast!

Also, read my article in the Hamtramck Citizen.