Unattended hose leak reported behind municipal annex — repurposed as moss irrigation system · Shed with wheels spotted rotating to catch afternoon sun — neighbors call it “the sunflower” · Disused vent shaft now shelters five pigeons and a rogue Wi-Fi signal booster · Heat transfer between two rowhomes via dryer duct confirmed to reduce mold risk · Rooftop HVAC shell retrofit with periscope now under passive surveillance review · Loophole update: stilts no longer count as “foundation” if cast in joy · Office chair colony expands in fenced-off alley — rumored to host late-night planning meetings · New ordinance narrowly avoids defining “useful clutter” — filing cabinets rejoice · Phantom maintenance crew reportedly seen dusting mechanical void at 3:12am · Water cooler at back entrance now designated as unofficial community fountain · Regional vent alliance proposes shared ducting scheme for underheated buildings · Gutters rerouted to fill abandoned planter boxes — tomatoes imminent · Chimney draft recalibrated to carry neighborhood gossip uphill · Partial permit issued for ‘lean-to of good intentions’ — city says it’s watching closely · Maintenance van turned reading room draws curious crowd, power extension pending · Graffiti discovered inside elevator shaft spells out HVAC haiku — building manager intrigued · Broken exit sign now functions as nightlight for fourth floor corridor · Zoning official discovers unregistered mezzanine used for impromptu choir practice · Portable boiler reported “wandering” again — last seen trailing extension cord · Drainage grate repurposed as tiny stage for early-morning puppet routines · Landlord unaware that roof access hatch leads to semi-autonomous bird observatory · Cobweb density in mechanical room reaches threshold — maintenance alerts issued in Morse · Old dryer vent retrofitted with whisper tubes for cross-building communication · Unclaimed folding chair behind substation now registered as public seating · Window-unit AC removed, filled with soil, and converted into trailing herb garden · Unlicensed shade structure “temporarily” installed in 2014 still going strong · Retired mop reemployed as weather vane on maintenance shed · Condenser coil successfully insulated with collective knitting effort — shawl holds up in wind · Access ladder now classified as vertical social corridor · Weekly leak mitigation ritual in boiler room upgraded to performance art · Septic tank emits faint music; cause traced to entombed Bluetooth speaker · Back door buzzer now plays voicemail from 2007 on loop — tenants not displeased · Staff-only corridor now home to miniature community board and seasonal altar · Trash chute echoes mapped by acoustic archaeologist — patterns suggest early duct worship · Side yard hose bib now designated as emergency foot bath · Fire escape garden reaches new height — dill reportedly flowering at 4th floor · Unlabeled breaker switch accidentally powers beloved ambient light — dispute ensues · Zip-tie chandelier found illuminating zoning inspector’s dreams · Deferred maintenance declared a form of protest by local custodian cooperative · More dispatches forthcoming from the forgotten corners, quiet repairs, and loophole-sheltered dreams of the built environment ·

Unattended hose leak reported behind municipal annex — repurposed as moss irrigation system · Shed with wheels spotted rotating to catch afternoon sun — neighbors call it “the sunflower” · Disused vent shaft now shelters five pigeons and a rogue Wi-Fi signal booster · Heat transfer between two rowhomes via dryer duct confirmed to reduce mold risk · Rooftop HVAC shell retrofit with periscope now under passive surveillance review · Loophole update: stilts no longer count as “foundation” if cast in joy · Office chair colony expands in fenced-off alley — rumored to host late-night planning meetings · New ordinance narrowly avoids defining “useful clutter” — filing cabinets rejoice · Phantom maintenance crew reportedly seen dusting mechanical void at 3:12am · Water cooler at back entrance now designated as unofficial community fountain · Regional vent alliance proposes shared ducting scheme for underheated buildings · Gutters rerouted to fill abandoned planter boxes — tomatoes imminent · Chimney draft recalibrated to carry neighborhood gossip uphill · Partial permit issued for ‘lean-to of good intentions’ — city says it’s watching closely · Maintenance van turned reading room draws curious crowd, power extension pending · Graffiti discovered inside elevator shaft spells out HVAC haiku — building manager intrigued · Broken exit sign now functions as nightlight for fourth floor corridor · Zoning official discovers unregistered mezzanine used for impromptu choir practice · Portable boiler reported “wandering” again — last seen trailing extension cord · Drainage grate repurposed as tiny stage for early-morning puppet routines · Landlord unaware that roof access hatch leads to semi-autonomous bird observatory · Cobweb density in mechanical room reaches threshold — maintenance alerts issued in Morse · Old dryer vent retrofitted with whisper tubes for cross-building communication · Unclaimed folding chair behind substation now registered as public seating · Window-unit AC removed, filled with soil, and converted into trailing herb garden · Unlicensed shade structure “temporarily” installed in 2014 still going strong · Retired mop reemployed as weather vane on maintenance shed · Condenser coil successfully insulated with collective knitting effort — shawl holds up in wind · Access ladder now classified as vertical social corridor · Weekly leak mitigation ritual in boiler room upgraded to performance art · Septic tank emits faint music; cause traced to entombed Bluetooth speaker · Back door buzzer now plays voicemail from 2007 on loop — tenants not displeased · Staff-only corridor now home to miniature community board and seasonal altar · Trash chute echoes mapped by acoustic archaeologist — patterns suggest early duct worship · Side yard hose bib now designated as emergency foot bath · Fire escape garden reaches new height — dill reportedly flowering at 4th floor · Unlabeled breaker switch accidentally powers beloved ambient light — dispute ensues · Zip-tie chandelier found illuminating zoning inspector’s dreams · Deferred maintenance declared a form of protest by local custodian cooperative · More dispatches forthcoming from the forgotten corners, quiet repairs, and loophole-sheltered dreams of the built environment ·

Clean Up

OoBoH

Office of Back of House (OoBoH, pronounced “ooh-boo”), is an architecture practice operating at the intersection of ~~arts and culture~~ ducts, conduits, scaffolding, custodial carts, mechanical rooms and sheds. OoBoH conducts design experiments in and around maintenance objects and spaces typically separated from “architecture-proper.” By looking at the regulations, funding initiatives, zoning amendments and energy consumption routines that rule these spaces, OoBoH questions the boundaries that separate them from the “front of house” to begin with.

These “back of house” spaces exist right inside the thick poché line that bounds what is thought to be the domain of design. Back of House (BoH) is dictated by an obscured regime of maintenance processes, and by leveraging these currently unexamined spaces, OoBoH believes that they can become the site for tactical design interventions and new visions of maintenance culture. OoBoH is an attempt at entering architecture from the back door, re-characterizing existing buildings as dependent on the spaces and labor often hidden behind pastiche and facade.

For requests of BoH observations, analysis, loophole detection, maintenance fictions and other correspondence ⟢ Office Mailbox

Office of Back of House is directed by Ekin Bilal.

Office Map — Office map depicting species of back of house spaces cross referenced with maintenance tasks, other creatives engaging projects in BoH, and projects of the office.

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