American designers have built a line in an open field and won many awards. Interviews with them

Gary and Julia Lewis are the founders of the REgroup bureau, which works in the field of design and architecture research. The Line project created by them, a small white platform in an open field in the town of Lockfort (California, USA), has become a laureate and winner of many prestigious international awards (AIA California 2020 Awards, Dezeen 2020 Awards, Architizer A + 2020 and others). Experts noted that the line offers a new perspective on events in rural areas.

In an interview with 100+, Gary and Julia talked about how The Line project came about, why it turned out to be so popular, and what is happening to it now.

– When you developed The Line project, did you think about its practical application and its future?

– The project was originally conceived as temporary, so we knew that it would be cost-effective. We have seen many opportunities for different events. At that time, we still didn't understand which ones exactly, so we made a list of all the possibilities. The object could be either a venue for concerts and fashion shows, or just land art. The result is a design for which you can come up with different uses. In a way, he's "typical." I'm not sure exactly how to use it. And this uncertainty leads to responsibility. The question arises how to make something more out of an object than was originally intended. The object begins to live its own life.

– Did you expect to win so many awards?

– Awards are a consequence of excellent design. We want to see impeccable work from ourselves. Fame is a consequence of such work.

– What do you feel from such a confession?

– We are immensely grateful and flattered that we have received such recognition for a seemingly small project. One of the most pleasant words people used to describe the project was "as if they had made a diamond out of a stone." This means that we have done something outstanding in an environment where most would not try.

– You write on your website that you want to change the way people think about the world we live in. How is this reflected in your other projects besides The Line?

– The "RE" in the REgroup name is the idea of reinterpretation, revision, and so on. Our first project, LightBOX, rethinks the image of parks. At the same time, he is rethinking what solutions are needed in repurposing projects. There was an almost unused historical building in the park. It was subject to restoration. We were trying to figure out how we could highlight this building without creating anything that would compete for attention. We came up with a transparent box, a "cover" for the building, which would become a kind of local lighthouse. As planned, the box is open during the day and lets visitors into the historic building. At night, the box is closed and illuminated. The silhouette of the building is visible inside. Films or art can be shown on the walls of this box. We divided the rest of the park area into several squares, each with its own function: a garden, a running track, a dog park, and so on. The general idea of the project was to create a new kind of square.

– How is The Line being used now? Is there something going on there?

– A lot of events were held at the facility. When not being held, it stands as land art. It is now coming to the end of its life cycle. The local fauna sometimes uses it as a shelter. An interesting and unexpected application. It was originally a stage, but now it has become a refuge. This is one of the fundamental aspects of construction.

– What projects are you currently working on? And what will be their main message?

– The main goal of all our projects is to identify the main points of limitations and opportunities. Based on this goal, we ask ourselves the questions "What if...?" and "What are the fundamental components for such a project?". Two housing projects are currently in operation. In one of them, we rethink the typology of courtyard housing construction.  In the second one, we are thinking about how to place a terrace on the roof of an already built building. In both cases, the question arises about the historical significance of such spaces and the possibilities for their evolution.