Golfing and the Detroit Institute of Arts don't seem to go together, but since the DIA will temporarily close its doors this spring for the final phase of its renovation, it decided to find a fun use for its outdoor space: a golf course, for which the UDM Detroit Collaborative Design Center (DCDC) is designing the caddy shack.

The DCDC's model of the caddy shack (left, as it will appear open; right, as it will appear closed).

According to the DIA website, "Fore! Fun, is a one-of-kind, 10-hole course on the north lawn of the museum created by Detroit area artists, architects, and designers. Each hole is a work of art in itself."

Focusing on the idea of transformation – transformation from night and day, open and close, inactive and active – the DCDC's director Dan Pitera gathered inspiration for the caddy shack design from the Ponte Vecchio Bridge in Florence, Italy. Stretching over the Arno River, Ponte Vecchio is one of Florence's only surviving market bridges after the German's retreat in 1944. According to Pitera, "The opening and closing of the shops create an indistinguishable characteristic across the bridge that reads differently depending on the activity within each structure. During the day, the Ponte Vecchio becomes extruded with noise, movement and the opening of spaces, transforming it from its inactive evening state."

The eight-foot by eight-foot proposed caddy shack is to be completely made of recycled materials from Architectural Salvage Warehouse of Materials in Detroit. A light-blue, clam-like structure will be housed within the cube, creating an operable shelter for the caddy shack's function. Once the space has been opened, the shell operates as an overhang, protecting the inhabitant from exterior light and the elements. The structure will then be closed during the evening and illuminated, creating a beacon for the site.

The DCDC will participate in building the shelter, which will remain at the DIA through the end of the summer.