"Lobby in Rear" is an experimental work space established by MAK Center Artists in Residence Richard Hoeck and Matthys Kobe. A garage behind the Pearl M. Mackey Apartments has been turned into a "lobby" space for activities focusing on the use of architecture and urbanism. The artists relate lobbies to "urban sites like railway stations, airports, hotels, office buildings, and large apartment buildings, rather than houses." They see lobbies as spaces that are "clinically clean, designed for display, assignments, information, and retail. Lobbies also often serve as temporary shelters and as spaces for social encounters. Seated in a lobby, one might find a house detective, a jilted lover, a business rival, loungers, pick-pockets, the unemployed, call girls, or people waiting for friends." While much of today's discourse about architecture addresses initial plan and design stages emphasizing the architect's intentions or ideas, "Lobby in Rear" focuses on the realization of an architect's plan and the subsequent use of the space.
Curators Richard Hoeck, Matthys Kobe