COMMUNITY DESIGN IN ECONOMIC DISASTERS
Challenge: Reclaiming economic growth as a grassroots initiative strategy that uses local resources to further the native community.
My Role: As an Architectural Designer I defined the problem, established scope of work, led site and user research, led user interviews, developed design, defined business drivers and values, and created end deliverable drawings and booklet.
Summary: After the economic crash hit Detroit, the once bustling city’s population was suddenly much smaller than the city’s infrastructure had been built to accommodate. Detroit rapidly became know as the “City of Ruins” due to the increasing home vacancy numbers and significant empty lots. Artists and developers flocked to the city excited by the romaticisized urban aesthetic as a backdrop for their transplanted work. As is the usual cycle, artists and neobohemians stayed due to the low rent slowly turning the unused spaces into trendy authentic neo-urban environments thereby kickstarting gentrification. Historically gentrification moves block by block and almost creeps up into neighborhoods. We are all familiar with the usual signs, a Whole Foods, quickly flipped townhouses, a trendy corner coffee shop. However, while we pick up on these, we have a hard time understanding how, why, and when it progresses to a full take over. Detroit is a unique case study for gentrification because the nature of the immediate crash caused aggressive, and easily identified, gentrification to stir in a number of neighborhoods at rapid speed. Studying the growth of gentrification in Detroit. I asked how might we: use local resources to quickly and effectively give physical space and presence to local initiatives to better position against traditional gentrification and to instead spur local economic growth.
The Process
I began with historic research of Detroit’s growth from 1806 to current day. I then lead interviews with local residents about needs, motivators, and current initiatives. Lastly, I compiled and analyzed Detroit population density, average income, parks, and educational institutions. I derived, through research synthesis, pocket fringe areas with determined criteria for implementation. The criteria focused on boundary lines between mid and low density, low and average income, high vacancy, and educational institutions. The below street is an example of a space in these pocket fringes ideal for design implementation.
the neighborhood pocket book
The design created a system that inserts temporary semitrailers into a deteriorating multi-story structure serving as incubator business sites to stabilize communities, incentivize local colleges, and reverse a downward economic trend. Local residents would partner with the nearby college and present their business case to establish a potential co-op program based on a particular business focus. The team would then identify a potential vacant building and the associated ownership. Once identified the resident would use the supplied data points and template to help negotiate with the city to acquire grants or loans. When finalized, the local trucking business would position the recycled cargo framework into the building with alterations where need. As the business grows slowly, the owner is able to renovate exterior building framework without impacting the internal business. The cargo framework can be removed at any point to continue internal renovation. The provided handout includes criteria, costs, negotiations, and implementation strategy for a plug and play solution allowing for low start up expense and reallocation of space during growth phases. Below is a mock up of a street including the types of spaces mentioned through interviews.