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Abandoned House In Detroit Brought Back To Life With 4,000 Flowers
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Abandoned House In Detroit Brought Back To Life With 4,000 Flowers

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This October, Lisa Waud will fill 15 rooms of an abandoned house in Detroit with up to 100,000 flowers. Waud, a florist, paid $500 for the two properties in 2014; the photos here are from a preview event in May where one of the houses was filled with 4000 beautiful flowers over 48 hours.

Her Flower House art project was inspired by Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s wrapped Pont Neuf bridge in Paris but has since evolved to include an emphasis on sustainability and a long-term plan for the properties involved. After the event, the structures will be dismantled, recycled, and the space used to grow flowers.

“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.

More info: theflower.house | Indiegogo | Facebook | Instagram (h/t: mymodernmet)

Florist Lisa Waud bought two houses in Detroit for $500

“I have always loved the Christo and Jeanne-Claude projects, but did not know what I would do with my inspiration until I saw images from the 2012 Dior show outside of Paris,” Waud told Bored Panda

The interior of the buildings was a complete mess

“My first idea was to build a small shed from a hardware store kit and display it at a local contemporary museum, but that quickly felt that it wouldn’t have the ‘breathtaking’ factor I craved”

She brought 4000 flowers and spent 48 hrs bringing the house to life

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“When you live in Detroit, it’s hard to not notice an abundance of abandoned houses, and one day, I began looking at them as a resource, and it wasn’t too much longer before I was at a city auction with my hand up”

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“It was certainly at that moment when sh*t got real for the project. I was suddenly in possession of my canvas for an installation I had been dreaming of for years. As I spent time cleaning up the properties, it became much more than a floral art project though”

“It’s a story in three parts: a house filled with flowers for one fall weekend, a deconstruction project partnering with a local company called Reclaim Detroit to reuse up to 75% of the materials in the structures, and the launching of an urban flower farm for my floral design company, pot & box”

“I have met florists I’ve always looked up to, neighbors I never would have known, and people passionate about getting involved with the project. It’s been amazing”

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Bored Panda would like to thank Lisa Waud for this interview

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In October the second house will be filled with up to 100,000 flowers

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vicki.mather avatar
PixelPixie
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I dont think I'm arty enough to understand this, it just seems pointless and wasteful to me. Each to their own, I guess.

christianpauldamian avatar
chilitwig2 avatar
LindaLucero
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

she is demolishing the buildings and using teh land to grow flowers...so yup...back to square one

Load More Replies...
annettesanders avatar
AnnetteSanders
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think this is a beautiful send off for these houses. Such beauty came from such a wreck. Good job

maraalejandraherreraramrez avatar
MaríaAlejandraHerreraRamírez
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Abandoned house brought back to life with 4000 DEAD flowers" I thins this is just a waste of time and nature.

susanna.alsaeedi avatar
SusannaVesna
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

500$?! Damn! I can buy a whole street in Detroit! How sad! Why does she want to demolish these houses? That's history! Rather resurrect them

maryschumacher505 avatar
MarySchumacher
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is positively gorgeous! And such a way to build hope from despair. Bravo!

foobarasdf1234 avatar
JohnJ.Brove
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i like the idea, but it is kinda ironic to use dead (cut) flowers...

michele_o_hackler avatar
MicheleHackler
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like art but flowers are expensive - can't help wondering how much more helpful a donation to a community organization would have been.

teaberries avatar
TeaBerries
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh look, a hoarders condemned house. Let's spend tons of resources decorating it so it can be torn down. And the hoarder? Who cares!

54de4ce69cc05 avatar
DebMartinKnaff
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Neat in a haunting kind of way but I really don't get it. I tried but I really don't. But that OK. Someone else will!!!!

vicki.mather avatar
PixelPixie
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I dont think I'm arty enough to understand this, it just seems pointless and wasteful to me. Each to their own, I guess.

christianpauldamian avatar
chilitwig2 avatar
LindaLucero
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

she is demolishing the buildings and using teh land to grow flowers...so yup...back to square one

Load More Replies...
annettesanders avatar
AnnetteSanders
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think this is a beautiful send off for these houses. Such beauty came from such a wreck. Good job

maraalejandraherreraramrez avatar
MaríaAlejandraHerreraRamírez
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Abandoned house brought back to life with 4000 DEAD flowers" I thins this is just a waste of time and nature.

susanna.alsaeedi avatar
SusannaVesna
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

500$?! Damn! I can buy a whole street in Detroit! How sad! Why does she want to demolish these houses? That's history! Rather resurrect them

maryschumacher505 avatar
MarySchumacher
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is positively gorgeous! And such a way to build hope from despair. Bravo!

foobarasdf1234 avatar
JohnJ.Brove
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i like the idea, but it is kinda ironic to use dead (cut) flowers...

michele_o_hackler avatar
MicheleHackler
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like art but flowers are expensive - can't help wondering how much more helpful a donation to a community organization would have been.

teaberries avatar
TeaBerries
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh look, a hoarders condemned house. Let's spend tons of resources decorating it so it can be torn down. And the hoarder? Who cares!

54de4ce69cc05 avatar
DebMartinKnaff
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Neat in a haunting kind of way but I really don't get it. I tried but I really don't. But that OK. Someone else will!!!!

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