WHAT
Press Preview for Making Room: Housing for a Changing America
WHO
Chrysanthe Broikos, Curator, National Building Museum
Sarah Watson, Deputy Director, Citizens Housing & Planning Council
Lisa Blecker, Director of Marketing, Resource Furniture
Pierluigi Colombo, Designer/Art Director, Clei
WHEN
November 16, 2017
10 am–Noon
WHERE
National Building Museum
401 F St NW
Washington, DC
Red Line Metro: Judiciary Square
The National Building Museum will open a stunning new exhibition this fall entitled Making Room: Housing for a Changing America. Organized with the Citizens Housing & Planning Council in partnership with Resource Furniture and Clei, Making Room showcases the latest solutions designed to meet the growing housing needs of America’s diverse households. The exhibition examines cutting edge approaches such as micro apartments in New York City; shared housing experiments in the D.C. area; backyard accessory cottages in Seattle; tiny houses that are helping the formerly homeless in Austin; and the boom in cohousing communities nationwide; among other advances.
The exhibition’s centerpiece is a full-scale, flexible dwelling: The Open House. Designed by Italian architect Pierluigi Colombo, The Open House beautifully illustrates how efficient and flexibly designed space can be adapted to address the demands of a growing variety of different households. To showcase how the same space can seamlessly accommodate three entirely different living arrangements—roommates, an extended family, and a retired couple—the interior furnishings will be swapped out twice during the exhibition’s run.
During the November 16 Press Preview, media can walk through and experience the “Roommates” scenario in The Open House, which will feature innovative solutions for maximizing space. For example, when the home’s moveable walls are fully closed, each roommate has complete privacy; when retracted—with the touch of a button—bedrooms can be combined to create a larger room for socializing.
Space is limited; media should RSVP to Emma Filar at efilar@nbm.org by November 10, 2017.
Making Room: Housing for a Changing America is organized by the National Building Museum and the Citizens Housing & Planning Council in partnership with Resource Furniture and Clei.
The exhibition is also generously supported by American Society of Interior Designers Foundation, Ceramics of Italy, Nixon Peabody LLP, Arris Apartments, Casaplex, LISC, Ernest Rust, and Wiencek + Associates Architects + Planners DC, LLP.
In-kind support is provided by Resource Furniture and Clei; Andersen Corporation; Benjamin Moore & Co.; Casaplex; Ceramics of Italy; Duravit USA, Inc.; Ernest Rust; Hansgrohe; Hufcor; MAPEI; Neoscape, Newfloor, Novità Communications, Precision Door and Hardware, and Vaghi.
About the National Building Museum
The National Building Museum is America’s leading cultural institution dedicated to advancing the quality of the built environment by educating people about its impact on their lives. Through its exhibitions, educational programs, web content, and publications, the Museum has become a vital forum for the exchange of ideas and information about the world we build for ourselves. Public inquiries: (202) 272-2448 or visit www.nbm.org. Connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.
About the Citizens Housing & Planning Council
Citizens Housing & Planning Council is a nonprofit research and education organization focused on housing in New York City. CHPC’s mission, since 1937, is to develop and advance practical public policies to support the housing stock of the city by better understanding the most pressing housing and neighborhood needs.
About Resource Furniture
Resource Furniture is the original – and largest – source for cutting-edge, multi-functional living systems, offering the most inspired and innovative furniture solutions available in the world for more than 15 years. With showrooms in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Mexico City, Resource Furniture continues to define and revolutionize the industry by offering the most technologically innovative, space-saving and sustainable products in the world, all of which transform any space with both beauty and functionality. For more information visit resourcefurniture.com.
About Clei
Based in Brianza, Italy, Clei, s.r.l. has been the global leader in the design and manufacturing of smart, transformable furniture since 1963. With a focus on research and innovation, the second generation of the Colombo family continues to maintain the standards set by their founding fathers, producing the most innovative and highest quality products available. Clei’s unique, patented furniture is distributed worldwide to an ever growing and increasingly appreciative audience. Clei.it