Five young architects have taken over a derelict home in Detroit and are using it as a full-scale studio for new design ideas.
The five students from the University of Michigan pooled their funding and used part of it to buy a derelict house at auction for $500.
"From the get-go, the designers received some real street lessons in actualizing their concepts within Detroit's challenging framework of devastated neighborhoods. The house had no plumbing, electricity, doors, or windows. While these conditions would cause heart-stopping anxiety in any homeowner, it all came with the territory, according to fellow Catie Newell, who turned these challenges into assets: "Instantly, we had a site, materials, and something extraordinary to respond to." Vacant lots and abandoned homes fallen victim to foreclosure or arson surround the home. It's not likely these homes will be filled with residents anytime soon. This led the group to explore various interventions, challenging traditional single-family home typology."
FULL STORY: Domestic Intervention
How Risky Lending Hollowed Out Detroit
Over one half of Detroit's foreclosed homes are blighted or abandoned. Buyers who purchased the homes for as little as $1 have little incentive to keep them in good shape—or pay taxes.
Detroit Mayor Makes Big Plans in State of City Speech
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing recently delivered his first "state of the city" speech since taking office, and included a broad list of proposals that could bring about a widespread revisioning of the struggling city.
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One in five Detroit homes is in foreclosure and asking prices are dropping to extreme lows. Many in the city question what lies in the future for the struggling city.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
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Conservatives’ Decongestion Pricing Flip-Flop
When it comes to solving traffic problems, the current federal administration is on track for failure, waste, and hypocrisy.
Can Geothermal Energy Fuel Hawaiʻi’s Future?
Gavin Murphy, a New Zealand-based consultant with experience in indigenous-led geothermal projects, argues that Hawaiʻi is poised to achieve energy independence and economic growth by respectfully developing its untapped geothermal resources.
Climate Gardening: Cultivating Resilient Landscapes in Los Angeles
TreePeople’s 4th Annual Urban Soil Symposium explored how climate gardening, soil health, and collaborative land management strategies can enhance urban resilience in the face of climate change.
Electric Surge: EV Chargers Outnumber Gas Nozzles in California
California now has 48% more electric vehicle chargers than gasoline nozzles, reflecting its rapid shift toward clean transportation and aggressive zero-emission goals despite federal pushback.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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