Michael Graves’ vision has transformed everything from tea kettles to international buildings. As one of the foremost architects in the U.S., Graves has designed projects as diverse as the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort and the NCAA Hall of Champions. But most people know him more for his everyday household accessories at Target.
Form is never more important than function, Graves maintains. Even if he’s designing something as small as a garlic press, he needs to know that it’s going to be comfortable in his hand. Instinctively, a person should be able to pick it up and know how to use it.
Few are aware that he’s been in a wheelchair for five years. An unknown infection (possibly bacterial meningitis) left Graves a paraplegic in 2003, but at 74 he continues to take an active role in his practice.
Graves says that his wheelchair cost nearly as much as a small Mercedes. He believes that’s not only unfair to him, but to someone with less money who has the same needs. Good design should be available to everyone. His goal is to make beautiful, functional objects affordable.
As a child, he loved to draw. His practical mother told him that unless he was as talented as Michelangelo and Picasso, he was going to starve. She suggested engineering and architecture. Fortunately, Graves chose the latter.
The way a building is filled, the interior design elements, are as important as the building itself, Graves believes. Every space has a visual rhythm. Furnishings draw the eye through the room, providing a flow between the foreground and background.
The self-described “general practitioner” has not only put his touch on a majority of project interiors, but also a range of products from jewelry to lighting fixtures for such companies as Steuben, Disney, and Black and Decker. With that variety of experience, Graves is able to offer some tips on decorating:
• Beware of matching everything. Some elements need to contrast.
• It can’t be said often enough that paint, including finishes, are the least expensive way to convey richness.
• Bare floors on a budget? Try sisal. It quiets the room without upsetting its visual harmony.
• Furniture should be arranged in a way that encourages interaction.
• Use what makes you feel happy. Forget the color of the month, the “in” style.
Graves is still active in a number of projects. His firm is currently involved in an addition to the Detroit Institute of Arts, as well as a resort in Singapore.
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Find out who's making sure people with disabilities have equal access to public spaces, in Architect with MS Creates Accessible Buildings for People with Disabilities.
Here are some tips for creating an accessible and aesthetic-friendly home, in The Aesthetics of Accessibility: Wheelchair Ramps Have Beauty and Design.
