Marks of Use

A study of weathered structures in Key West

“Marks of Use documents residential structures in Key West as accumulated objects, where repeated use, exposure, and neglect result not in nostalgia, but in material failure, restriction, and closure.”

“Stone steps with visible surface wear, staining, and debris from repeated use and exposure.”
“Exposed wooden beam showing termite damage and material deterioration beneath painted surfaces.”
“Painted column with cracked and peeling paint revealing the underlying substrate.”
“Weathered wooden siding with warped and displaced boards indicating structural shift.”
“Boarded wooden door on a weathered residential structure with peeling paint and turquoise trim.”

Marks of Use
A study of weathered residential structures in Key West

Marks of Use presents residential structures in Key West through fragments rather than facades. The images focus on surfaces shaped by repeated contact and long-term exposure—siding, steps, columns, and doors that record use through wear, failure, and intervention.

The buildings are approached as accumulated objects rather than landmarks. Paint loss, material displacement, and structural shift are shown as evidence of function over time, without restoration narratives or nostalgia. There is no suggestion of recovery or return.

The sequence moves from surface wear to material failure and concludes with physical restriction. What remains is not decay as an aesthetic, but consequence: structures altered, reinforced, and ultimately closed as a result of sustained use and neglect.