Concerning Central Station: Urban Decay ReExposed

CONCERNING CENTRAL STATION urban decay RE exposed

architecture graduate thesis of

SAM SUDY

The other detroit IS ALIVE.

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preface This project arose out of a joint

Detroit seems like a failed city,

interest in adaptive reuse and the

these are exciting times.

city where my father grew up. I’ve

failure, it has the opportunity to

visited the city of Detroit many

show the world what it’s really

times over the years.

made of.

Every time,

its gritty character and charm have overtaken me. The beauty that reveals itself through a lens of ruin is profound and carries with it a sense of hope. Perhaps it is

With

S peramus M el iora R es u r get C i n er i bus We hope for better things; it will rise from the ashes.

this hope that has attracted me to

Can Detroit truly embody its own

adaptive reuse. There is so much

motto once again? I believe it can.

potential, so much low-hanging fruit as one of my professors used

The following book is a collection

to say; we need simply to look

of my master of architecture thesis

around us.

work in which I explored how urban decay, specifically Michigan

This is what I see in Detroit. I see

Central Station, can be reimagined

what it is now, the beauty and the

and reexposed to spark catalytic

devastation, but I also imagine

change and a new identity for the

what it can become. As much as

city of Detroit.

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04 SETTING City Neighborhood Station Conditions Culture

66 DESIGN PLANS ELEVATIONS SECTION

04

28 FOCUS concern design intent project goal design criteria program

76 RENDERS

38 URBAN URBAN RESHAPING MARBLED USE green WAYFINDING IMMEDIATE surrounding merged site plan

86 MODEL DOLLHOUSE

50 PROCESS STRATEGIES APPLICATION

94 EXHALE FINAL THOUGHTS

CONTENTS 98 APPENDIX 126 SOURCES SITE PICTURES WEATHER DATA PATTERN LANGUAGE VALUES precedents

local contacts bibliography LIST OF FIGURES

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INTRODUCTION As a city buried in deceptive views

incubators have begun to rectify the

it must be transformed through

of melancholy, facilitated by urban

city’s stigmatized image. Detroit is

provocative, adaptive reuse strategies

decay, Detroit has some of the most

changing, but those changes get lost

in order to expose its versatility.

disparaging

behind the behemoth of cultivated

vistas

in

America.

Staggering crime and unemployment

demoralization.

potential to be exposed as a catalyst

have worked to not only dishearten its people, but have disconnected once thriving communities. industrial

crash

and

The

financial

bankruptcy further drive home the fact that great cities like Detroit can fall to ruin – but there’s more to this story. Beneath the publicized urban blight and despair, amidst the quiet abandon, there is a hum.

THE OTHER DETROIT IS ALIVE.

C A N WE C H A N GE T H E F A C E O F UR BA N DEC AY? Could it have a positive impact on communities, empowering people instead of segregating them?

If a city is defined by its people, then urban decay could bolster a master narrative not only for community, but for city.

The spirit of Detroit’s people is

Urban decay has long been the basis

slowly rebuilding the city’s fabric.

for Detroit’s negative image. Yet,

Pockets of thriving communities,

it has the potential to positively

small businesses, and entrepreneurial

stimulate the cityscape. To do so,

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No abandoned building has more for

invigorating

Detroit

than

Michigan Central Station.

This

iconic tombstone could transform into a beacon for social innovation and the creative class – redefining and reshaping the city’s sense of urban identity.

Revitalized

urban decay could spark renewed urbanism for Detroit

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DETROIT IS MANY CITIES TODAY: A PLACE OF THRIVING NEIGHBORHOODS YET ABYSMAL ABANDONMENT A CITY OF HIGHLY EDUCATED PROFESSIONALS FILLED WITH ILLITERATE DROPOUTS A CITY OF SOARING ACHIEVEMENT YET A CITY THAT PARADOXICALLY PRESENTS THE MOST DISPIRITING VISTAS IN URBAN AMERICA. - John Gallagher, Revolution Detroit: Strategies for Urban Reinvention

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SETTING

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city Detroit, Michigan was once the

Urban decay and crime are now

the master plan for the city of

epicenter of the United States

ruling the city of Detroit.

Detroit, modeled after L’Enfant’s

automotive industry.

The “Big

plan for Washington D.C. Much

Three” (GM, Ford, and Chrysler)

Before

of

of what they had planned did

attracted an exponential increase

economic failure, Detroit was a

not come to fruition; however,

in factory workers, fostering a

thriving city with French origins.

prominent elements such as six

peak population of around 1.8

Detroit was founded in 1701 by

main arterials emanating out of

million people at the middle of

the French officer Antoine de La

the city’s center still exist today.

the 20th century.

After global

Mothe Cadillac. Its name is of

Those streets include: Woodward,

competition in the auto-industry

the French word for “strait” and is

Michigan, Grand River, Gratiot,

took a toll on Detroit’s local

associated with the Detroit River,

and Jefferson avenues along with

economy, that 1950’s population

which combined with Lake St.

Fort Street.

plummeted in half, to only a little

Clair and the St. Clair River form

more than 700 thousand people

the strait between Lake Erie and

Known for its Parisian style,

today. Sparked by its relentless

Lake Huron. The baroque styled

Detroit’s

economic decline, the year 2013

urban planning and radial avenues

around the turn of the 19th

gave witness to Detroit becoming

can also be attributed to French

century. With Henry Ford and the

the largest municipality to file

influences. Augustus Woodward

automotive industry, freeways and

Chapter 9 bankruptcy in U.S.

was Michigan Territory’s first

wide boulevards started to define

history, with 18.5 billion dollars of

Chief of Justice and along with

the character of the Motown city.

debt under its belt.

Governor William Hull, designed

Electric streetcars that once ran

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the

catastrophe

architecture

boomed

>>

142 square miles

residential

commercial

33% BLIGHT

28% BLIGHT

62% BLIGHT

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>>along Woodward Avenue were

skyscrapers, houses, and vacant

replaced by gas- powered busses

lots are now what define the

and privately owned commuter

once

vehicles.

Deindustrialization has turned

Consequentally,

highly

desirable

city.

of

Detroit into a ghost town. Wildlife

the construction of extensive

is once again taking over where

freeway systems. The sprawling

it grew long before the city was

metropolitan area of Detroit had

founded. Essential public services

transformed from having a high

now have the impossible task of

density urban core to low density

attending to a rurally dispersed

auto-oriented suburbs. Not to

population over approximately

mention, the new highways were

140 square miles, paving the way

bisecting through many of the

for high crime rates. For the fourth

few remaining, densely populated

consecutive year, Detroit has been

residential neighborhoods near the

the most dangerous city in the

city-center.

nation.

repercussions

arose

out

Evidence of decreasing population can still be seen today in the form of urban blight.

Thousands of

abandoned commercial buildings,

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M. C E N T R A L STATION

HISTORIC CORKTOWN

AMBASSADOR BRIDGE

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DETROIT DOWNTOWN

DETROIT RIVER

CANADA 1/2 mile // 2640 ft

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neighborhood Corktown, the area just southwest

Corktown has also hosted some of

It is not uncommon to find

of Detroit’s downtown core, was

the oldest residential communities

community teams playing soccer

once a thriving industrial zone.

in Detroit; some are now on the

on the empty fields of grass that

With freight coming in through

National Register of Historic

front abandoned warehouses. This

the train station and easy access

Places. Because of this, there are

tight knit group of Detroiters are

across the river to Canada, a

pockets of density and scattered

so interconnected, that on a brief

majority of the building types

arrays

visit to talk to a half dozen people

are

this

low-lying

warehouses

to

of

blight

is

living in the Corktown area,

accommodate the storage and

characteristic of the city as a

almost all of them were at the very

shipment of goods.

whole.

least acquaintances if not business

Conversely,

neighborhood,

throughout which

partners, or even close friends.

It’s a feat in itself that the people of Corktown have established social connectedness amidst the segregating urban decay, as it pockmarks their community like a smile with missing teeth.

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The greatest physical barriers this family of Detroiters face are the elevated tracks behind the station. This diagonal datum line, slices between two clusters of residential densities, creating an urban vacuum and wall of social segregation.

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

ROADS

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

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BUILDINGS

In this building use map, the large footprint of vacant warehouse buildings can be seen.

The

lighter blue also begins to identify the two clusters of residential development, segregated by the void along the train tracks.

RESIDENTIAL

COMMERCIAL

VACANT

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http://www.100abandonedhouses.com/

Nothing symbolizes Detroit’s Grandiose rise and spectacular fall like Michigan Central Station.

And no other building exemplifies just how much the automobile gave to the city of Detroit & HOW MUCH IT TOOK AWAY. – Dan Austin, Lost Detroit: Stories Behind the Motor – City’s Majestic Ruins

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station Amidst all of the urban decay,

was realized as a part of the City

Michigan

Beautiful Movement.

Central

Station

–

located off of Michigan Avenue, just outside of downtown Detroit

At its completion, the station

– has had its own, paralleled rise

was the tallest rail station in

and fall. Michigan Central Station,

the world.

was

constructed

the collaboration of Warren &

to replace the existing main

Wetmore and Reed & Stem – the

passenger depot. When the older

same firms that also designed the

station burned down during the

Grand Central Terminal in New

Christmas

York City.

Central

originally

holidays,

Station

was

Michigan opened

prematurely in 1913.

It was designed by

At 500,000 square

feet, the final construction cost for the station ran around $15 million. Michigan Central Station

Already setting itself apart as an

is a peculiar piece of architecture,

icon, the station was dropped into

in that it is composed of two

the middle of a residential district.

distinct parts, the train station

The owners of the station left it

itself, including a Romanesque

up to the city to construct a grand

bathhouse style lobby, and an

lawn as the gateway to the station.

adjoining

Seven years later, Roosevelt Park

tower, which housed the offices

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18-story

commercial

>>

M. CENTRAL STATION 2001 15th st. detroit, mi area: 500,000 sqft height: 18 floors totalling 230 feet cost: $15 million to build in 1913 designed by: warren + wetmore, reed + stern style: beaux-arts + neoclassicism 1975 national register historic places 1988 depot’s last train current owner: manuel “matty” moroun years vacant to date: 26

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>>for the Michigan Central Railroad.

The Beaux-Arts style station was

improvements have been made

Ornate walls of marble, Doric

placed in Corktown, southwest

to the building, such as window

columns, vaulted ceilings, and a

outside of the downtown area,

replacements

copper skylight are only a sample

with the hopes it could serve as

abatement, but the building is still

of its character that eventually led

a starting point to spark further

under considerable disrepair.

to the train depot being nominated

development

onto the National Register of

Ironic now that the station is a

Historic Places in 1975.

headstone for decay and ruin in the

in

the

and

asbestos

future.

neighborhood.

At the peak of rail travel, Michigan Central Station saw over two

The

rise

of

the

automobile

hundred trains pass through its

industry triggered a slow decline

station every day. Thousands of

in the station. Passenger volumes

people used the station as a means

became so low that the station

of transportation to Detroit and

was eventually closed in 1988,

other cities, and thousands more

after passing through several

sought work in the eighteen-story

hands including the railway giant

office tower connected to the back

Amtrak. In 1996, the station was

of the station, although it was

eventually sold to Controlled

never fully occupied.

Terminals Inc. and is still under that same ownership today. Small

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CONDITIONS Currently enclosed with a barbed-

This building stands as a testament

wire

considered

to Detroit’s time. It’s paralleled

trespassing to enter the station.

rise and fall with the city makes it

My first hand account with the

that much more intricately woven

railroad police can contest to

into the fabric of Detroit and the

it. Although it has been deemed

spirit of the people.

fence,

it

is

structurally sound even after two decades of being exposed to the elements, private property is private property – a true tragedy.

This sleeping beauty, despite the graffitied doric columns and rubble strewn marble floors, is totally locked away from the public’s eye, as if it is some ashamed piece of blight that the city wants to sweep under the rug. Again, what a tragedy.

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Those who didn’t steal found OTHER WAYS TO DEFILE IT. - Dan Austin, Lost Detroit: Stories Behind the Motor City’s Majestic 22 Ruins

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http://www.thepeopleofdetroit.com/

They shall teach, as the result of their own bitter experience, that conscious mental effort, that conscious emotionality, are poor mates to breed from, and that true parturition comes of a deep instinctive, SUBCONSCIOUS DESIRE. - Louis Sullivan, Emotional Architecture as Compared – with Intellectual (1894)

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700,000 people

CULTURE Not

every

Detroiter

is

3/4 an

while fresh, start-up shops are

Another interesting quality to

abandoned building, but it’s hard

resurging. Many parks are closed

this area is the racial micro-

for them to shake that image

due to lack of maintenance, yet

communities that are relatively

from the rest of the world’s eyes.

others

through

diverse and interconnected. This

Obesity, crime, and unemployment

volunteer help.

Detroit is not

cultural overlapping could prove

are only a sampling of the plagues

dead; there is hope yet.

are

renewed

that face the Detroit community today.

Racial

to be fruitful when it comes to

reinventions

dealing

with

community

Specifically pertaining to the

collaboration now and into the

segregation has been a constant

Corktown neighborhood, there is

future.

struggle since the “white flight.”

a stronger effort to revitalize the

All of these factors play the role of

neighborhood. People seem more

the masked menace, covering up

motivated to commit to changing

the true spirit of Detroit.

their surroundings, and it has had a profound effect on the amount of

What Detroit’s hiding behind the

positive attention and out-of-town

mask is, in fact, a special ebb and

visitors. Perhaps attitude dictates

flow. The world sees an abandoned

the kind of change we want to see

city, yet the community has large

in our community. If so, then this

gatherings, filling the streets for

neighborhood is on the rise.

sporting events and the like. Many buildings lie empty and dormant,

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1/2 living in food deserts 1/3 impoverished

nutritional deficiency

DETROIT CULTURE

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hispanic

caucasian

03 other

41 African American

CORKTOWN DIVERSITY

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new ideas need OLD BUILDINGS. - JANE JACOBS, THE DEATH AND LIFE OF GREAT AMERICAN CITIES

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FOCUS

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concern Over the years, Michigan Central

anniversary (over the years, the

Station has become a headstone,

park has expanded to connect

marking the rise and fall of Detroit.

Hart Plaza with the Renaissance

It symbolizes the ultimate failure

Center) – and the Dequindre Cut.

of the city’s economy, and the

Detroit is slowly being nurtured

lasting duration of its relentless

into a better, smaller and more

decline. What many people do

self-reliant city.

not see, however, is that Detroit is coming back. are

being

Skyscrapers

redeveloped

Detroit needs help showing the

into

rest of the world its capacity

sustainable housing. Residential

for positive change. Initiating a

neighborhoods are taking it upon

renaissance for Michigan Central

themselves

together

Station could transform it into a

in the form of urban farming.

regenerative monument sparking

Entrepreneurships are redefining

further

and establishing a new local

showing that Detroit is a canvas

economy.

for new urban inventions.

to

band

Pedestrian friendly

city

improvements

greenways have sprung up in areas such as the International Riverfront

–

which

helped

to celebrate the city’s 300th

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–

design intent REFRESH My initial research investigation

COMMUNITY LINKS

has helped influence the form and spirit of the design process, as opposed to preset notions dictating the architecture and form of the new Michigan Central Station.

And it should. Detroit deserves that much. After the world has been defining the city for so long, from the good to the bad, it’s time for Detroit to find its own voice.

What better way than through its

RE-CREATE NEW URBAN CONNECTIONS

people; those that have laughed when the city was booming and that cried with the city as it fell. The people of Detroit have inspired how this project’s pattern language was written.

REDEFINE NEIGHBORHOOD & CITY IMAGE

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PROJECT GOALS These project goals span from

towards

Downtown.

Finally,

Corktown, redefining it as the

urban to building scale design. The

the adaptive reuse of existing

entrepreneurship district it is

idea is that these goals are actually

warehouses and creation of new

planned to become, as well as an

intertwined between the proposed

mixed-use massing will help to

example of reutilized urban decay,

urban and architectural schemes.

redefine the neighborhood and

for the rest of the city.

The fact that these two design

spark a new revitalized image for

components to my thesis share a

the city of Detroit.

set of common goals, not only ties them together, but strengthens the

On the micro scale, Michigan

design as a whole.

Central Station will serve as a meeting point for a variety of

On the macro scale, densifying the

public, communal, and socially

train track area helps to refresh

innovative

the community link that was lost

connections will be instilled by the

when urban blight created a social

main thorough fare route through

vacuum between two neighboring

the station, from Roosevelt Park

residential clusters. New urban

through the building and to the

connections are realized through

tracks that connect to the river

the tracks again, but also using

and

green

wayfinding

Michigan Central Station will

through Corktown and extending

serve as a catalytic icon for

spaces

as

gatherings.

downtown.

New

Ultimately,

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design criteria 1 2

INNOVATION

Innovation as process

Facilitating idea development, exchange, and collaboration

Individual creativity

GENIUS LOCI Contributing to a sense of community, history, and spirit

3

CONNECTEDNESS Bridging urban voids through an integrated approach

Organizational structure Environmental context Social + economic factors

Innovation as outcome New products New features New methods Source examination

4

FRESH PERSPECTIVES Sparking inspiration with a re-energized scheme and serendipitous social space

5

TRANSPARENCIES Greeting the public with layered transparencies of new + existing fabric

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Economic consequences

SOCIALIZE

WORK

RELAX

Collaboration through Integration Integrated interior spaces that feel connected will spark energetic and dynamic moods within the building.

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NON-PROFITS

program

GOVERNMENT

Education System

BUSINESS

SOCIAL INNOVATION HOW CAN I

Civic Health

RETHINK

Blended Resources Shifting Roles + Relationships Exchanging of Ideas + Values

Local Government

Community Development

Public Policy

PUBLIC PHILANTHROPIC Social 3 5 Innovator

PRIVATE A

Work Conditions

PROCESS

OUT

COM

E

CREATED SOCIALVALUE

ON USI DIFF

AD

N O I T OP

Transcends time because its

its

underlying

mechanisms, sequence

of

interactions and events, change as society and its institutions evolve.

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URBAN

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URBAN RESHAPING A majority of the urban scheme

vacuum that exists there today. At

for this project revolves around

the precipice of this line from the

issues

the

water into the heart of Corktown,

neighborhood.

The first step

is Michigan Central Station. The

towards

reidentification

station will serve as a starting

involves an increase in density

point for the incorporated urban

along the elevated tracks.

volume to grow from it, towards

of

reidentifying this

This

new massing that parallels the tracks will reactivate the urban

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the water.

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marbled use A marbled use of buliding types will help to bring variety and tap into Corktown’s existing versality.

Corktown has already been deemed the

future

entrepreneurship

district of Detroit. These sorts of businesses will thrive in an urban environment that is as creative and flexible as its inhabitants.

newly constructed buildings

RESIDENTIAL

COMMERCIAL

MIXED USE

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green wayfinding Wayfinding

MICHIGAN AVEnue

through

walkable

connectivity and avenue vistas.

Having been slowly on the rise, it

With

will reach the potential it has had

corridors,

all along in becoming a thriving

reconnect its community nodes

commercial

through activated streetscapes

avenue

towards

downtown.

clearly

defined

urban

Corktown

will

and public greenways. All of these corridors will converge towards

ROSA PARKS BouLeVarD Currently

an

under-utilized

boulevard, it will become a new

downtown or the RiverWalk, connecting Corktown to adjacent communities.

mixed-use corridor towards the riverfront.

THE TRACKS These elevated train tracks will transform into a new civic walk to connect with the already successful RiverWalk to the east.

West FORT STREET Like Rosa Parks Blvd, this street is a dismal service corridor with many vacancies. It will transform into a high-rise residential and mixed use avenue paralleling the river.

44

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immediate surrounding In a collaboration with Urban

The first floor lobby that directly

connections between architecture

Detail LLC and Tadd Heidgerken,

faces the park will allow nature

and nature, building and urban

a proposed plan for Roosevelt

to seep into and through its vast

scale. Together, with the added

Park has already been imagined.

space. A meadow will flow over

density that is to surround the

For my thesis project, I wanted my

the floors of the lobby. On top of

park and extend along the tracks,

adaptive reuse design for Michigan

the meadow will float an urban

this area will become a focal point,

Central Station to compliment

boardwalk that meanders from

a destination, for the Corktown

what has been proposed for

the park, through the lobby, and

community.

Roosevelt Park, as well as tie into

reconnect at the south side train

the immediate urban fabric of the

track

area surrounding the park.

riverfront. This strengthens the

boulevard

towards

the

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slows bbq

ve

an a g i h c i m gateway plaza

bus stop

boardwalk sport courts

large lawn

pop-up shops grasses hardscape

meadow lobby m. central station to viaduct

parking outdoor plaza

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to viaduct

old rail tracks removed for new greenway

boardwalk

the tracks

merged site plan slow zone

The bolded buildings in this site plan represent the new

This pedestrian plaza, that extends

construction and density that

from the station will seep from

will begin to activate the newly

the park down the commercial

designed Roosevelt park, based

focused Michigan Avenue.

mostly off of the proposed plans on the previous spread. There will be mostly mixed-use surounding

elevated boardwalk

the park, with a hotel, apartments

This wooden pathway will be

and infilled residential.

The

the main datum line through the

majority of the new construciton

park leading to the station and the

along Michigan Avenue will be

elevated tracks towards the water.

commercial to help strengthen the corridor towards downtown to

sports courts

the east.

New sports courts for basketball, tennis, etc will be added to the already existing socer field areas used for neighborhood leagues.

outdoor plaza This public fun zone will serve as the focal point to the “back of house� that is now the main facade that faces the tracks and boulevard to the riverfront.

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PROCESS

50

strategies The following four strategies were defined as a first attempt towards redesigning Station.

Michigan

Central

They represent the

different ways urban decay can be altered. Although they each cover a drastically different approach, each strategy was incorporated into this design in some fashion.

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DECOMPOSITION

DECONSTRUCTION

NATURAL TAKEOVER

UPCYCLE MATERIALS

RESTORATION

TRANSFORMATION

REPAIR + REFURBISH

ADAPTIVE REUSE

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application This section is a compilation of

I saw this as an architectural

diagrams that best display my

metaphor for how the adaptive

process in tackling the design of

reuse of Michigan Central Station

Michigan Central Station, while

represents the respect of Detroit’s

incorporating the four strategic

automotive past and success, as

approaches mentioned on the last

well as addressing the need to

page.

start anew; what was working before for the city is no longer a

At the beginning, it was apparent

viable option.

that finding a balance between

broken municipality and the ghost

old and new, contrasting and

of its bankruptcy looming, Detroit

complimentary, would be integral

needs to do something different.

Clearly, with its

to the success of this design.

Throughout the process, it was also

In the following diagrams, I

important to constantly question

hope to show how I went about

the validity of the proposed design

addressing these concerns about

and whether it respected the

past, present, and future as they

history of the station.

relate to not only architecture, but a metaphor for positive change in Detroit.

53

It was crucial early on in the design process to first establish the existing character of Michigan Central Station.

existing

Just as the

surrounding context needs to be taken into account, the adaptive reuse

nature

of

this

thesis

required me to first investigate what defines Michigan Central Station. Analyzing the station in this way revealed the “canvas� in which I could begin to marry the new modern architecture to the historic existing fabric.

character defining

canvas

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existing

After establishing a general area on the facade, it was necessary to look at the station in plan. The simplicity and straightforward design that comes with this

program

Beaux-Arts and Neoclassic style station influenced the cleanly incorporated program bar that turns the more complex “I� shaped plan into a more rigid and direct rectangle form.

From this, two

bars would begin to reactivate the

activated bars

facade of Michigan Central Station.

Multiple entry points across the facade allow for movement and energy for those bars.

pinched

circulation

55

Looking back at the facade, it was important to start to connect these energetic

entryways

vertically.

doorways

This addresses the challenge of horizontal

and

disconnected

floorplates

in

strucutre.

Undulating glulam

the

existing

stairs were chosen as a dynamic and modern way to redefine the facade of Michigan Central Station.

stair connection

glulam extension

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rooftop restaurant

theater

meadow shops

inserting programmatic cornerstones The three main programmatic

Starting from ground level, the

the lobby where pop-up-shops

anchors for this project were

meadow shops were located in

have nestled themselves.

slid into the existing envelope

the ground floor, historic lobby,

meadow shops will be flexible and

of

Station.

with grand barrel-vaulted ceilings.

adaptive, transitioning from the

They not only help to provide

Here, a meadow has been allowed

park to the lobby and back again

destinations along the circulative

to permeate the building and

depending on the weather and

path through the station, but

flow from Roosevelt Park into

local events.

also create pause, visually and

the lobby, providing a smooth

physically, along the path up and

transition between inside and

through the station.

outside.

Michigan

Central

Lofted above the tall

grasses is an elevated wooden walkway that leads visitors into

57

These

nested with a similar language As you make your way up the

After you wind your way to the

escalator, located at the back of

top of the tower portion of the

the lobby, an assembly hall, or

station, it opens up to a rooftop

theater appears at the top of the

park. At the end of the park, a

risers. This theater, nestled amidst

bistro restaurant has wrapped

the trees growing from below,

itself around one of the bookends

helps to establish that the new

of the facade.

Michigan Central Station now

unobstructed 180 degree views

has two fronts, the traditional one

across Corktown and to the river.

Here, there are

facing Roosevelt Park, and the new one facing the redesigned tracks towards the riverfront.

58

Each

of

the

programmatic

cornerstones on the previous page have a similar architectural language. They all, in a sense, break the rules by being exceptional when all of the other programs

RECLAIM

conform to the non-character defining canvas mentioned earlier on in this chapter.

abandoned houses.

Although

some see these houses as trash filled rubble, they can also be deconstructed in a process known as upcycling. For this project, 2x4 framing pieces will be salvaged from

residential

blight

and

upcycled to create baton screens for each of the programmatic cornerstone elements.

EVOLUTION TOWARDS UPCYCLING

Detroit has an abundance of

DECAY

BUILD 59

resourced 2x4

baton screened cornerstones 60

pierce pancake floorplates

61

create vertical interest

Vertical atriums of green spaces provide a break in the horizontal floorplate monotony.

They also

work in a similar way as the glulam dynamic stairs to provide a sense of physical and visual connectedness between floors.

stagger insertions

62

sky park

atriums elevated track to river front

green roof nested tree canopy

63

This green wayfinding diagram incorporates the previous atrium diagram to show how different versions of green space start to establish a sense of navigating the station.

This concept also

ties into the urban scheme’s green wayfinding strategy as a way to provide new identity for Corktown, showing how an urban concept can be applied at the building scale.

green roof

indoor/outdoor meadow

roosevelt park

64

65

DESIGN

66

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PLANS 01

theater + tracks

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

00

67

lobby shops

05

exhibition + lobby

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

06

office + conference

07

OFFICE + conference

68 scale 1/64 “ = 1 ‘

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

08

KITCHEN + dining

09

RESIDENCY + library

10

office + conference

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

69

11

office + conference

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

12

workout gym + office

14

PARK + RESTAURANT

70

71

ELEVATIONS

north elevation

south elevation

72

SECTION

73

74

75

RENDERS

76

WApproach from park

77

WMEADOW LOBBY

Wescalator passage

78

WASSEMBLY HALL BALCONY VIEW

79

DYNAMIC STAIRWELLW

80

WPATH TOWARDS RESTAURANT

81

ROOFTOP PARKW

82

83

VIEW FROM ROOSEVELT PARKW

84

85

MODEL

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

EXHALE

94

95

final thoughts Over the course of this thesis

I am proud of the work that I have

project, these lessons have had

accomplished in the past year,

the biggest impact on my design

not because I think it is good, but

philosophy:

because I have seen how much it has caused me to grow as a

Designing is proactive, not passive.

designer and as a person.

Sure, you can go with your gut,

experiences that I have had with

but true design comes from

my classmates, my mentors, my

digging down deep and working

family and friends have been

through resistance.

remarkable. Thank you to all who

The

have helped me in this endeavor.

Don’t just design for others, but design for yourself. Satisfaction is so much

The future possibilities not only

sweeter when you accomplish

for Michigan Central Station, but

what you set out to do in a way

for the city as well, are exciting

that you are proud of. It is that

dreams that are already being

moment when you know that you

realized. The potential in Detroit

have accomplished something

is overwhelming.

truly special.

Let’s see what happens next.

96

97

APPENDIX

98

site pictures

99

100

101

102

YEARLY AVERAGES

weather data

WIND 10mph//RAIN 32”//SNOW 41”

WINTER SOLTICE 12.21 HIGH: 34//LOW: 20 AVG. RAIN 2.3”

SPRING EQUINOX 03.20 NORTH NW

HIGH 46//LOW 30 AVG. RAIN 2.5”

NE

SUMMER SOLTICE 06.21 ST EAST

WEST

HIGH 82//LOW 63 AVG. RAIN 3.5”

FALL EQUINOX 09.22 SW

SE SOUTH

103

HIGH 72//LOW 54 AVG. RAIN 2.7”

8:00 AM

NOON

4:00 PM

104

pattern language Urban Planning Central Station

ECCENTRIC NUCLEUS

28

24

SCARED SITES

66

HOLY GROUND

62

HIGH PLACES

53

MAIN GATEWAYS

Building Features PATTERN TITLE Pattern Number

ACTIVITY NODES

PROMENADE

IDENTIFIABLE NEIGHBORHOOD 105

30

31 14

CLIMBING PLANTS

TRELLISED WALK

FILTERED LIGHT

ENTRANCE TRANSITION

246

174

238 112

118

ROOF GARDEN

166

GALLERY SURROUND

160

BUILDING EDGE

133

STAIR AS A STAGE 106

ECCENTRIC NUCLEUS 28

ACTIVITY NODES 30

PROMENADE 31

“The random character of local densities confuses the identity of our communities, and also creates a chaos in the pattern of land use.”

“Where the most important paths meet, certain stars – vital spots of a community – begin to form.”

“Each subculture needs a center for public life; a place where you can go to see people, and to be seen.”

>> Get in touch with those who share your values >> Small scale of “busy and quiet” ooo “Human mixing” sectors >> Proportions matter.

The >> Locate naturally occurring nodes effectiveness of the promenade >> “Shopping street” boulevard through of community and run public relates directly to the proper pathways through them each nucleus density of the people, which in ooo Add a square to each, turn is correlated to the proportion >> Brennan’s catch basins surrounded by “mutually of the promenade itself. ooo Assume 1/5 of people ooo supported” facilities ooo Fish scales ooo Pomegranate seeds Connect nodes with within area will use it at a given time of day.

PROMENADE ooo Using density, calculate >> Center should bulge toward total users at one time geometric center of community ooo Calculate the area of the promenade assuming 150sqft per person >> Distribution of density ooo High towards the center ooo Low towards the outskirts

>> “Community crossroads.”

>> Make it a destination ooo “Street theater” ooo Garden or art walk >> Connects ACTIVITY NODES ooo Encourages “the stroll” between destinations of hustle and bustle

10 7

NEIGHBORHOOD identity 14

SACRED SITES 24

HOLY GROUND 66

“They want to be able to identify the part of the city where they live as distinct from all others”

“People cannot maintain their spiritual roots and their connections to the past if the physical world they live in does not also sustain these roots.”

“In each community and neighborhood, identify some sacred site as consecrated ground, and form a series of nested precincts, each marked by a gateway, each one progressively more private, and more sacred than the last, the innermost a final sanctum that can only be reached by passing through all of the outer ones.”

>> Can be applied on city to >> Serve as “objective communal realities” worldwide scale?

>> Characteristics of good examples >> Makes allegory to gaping wound ooo “Everybody knows each other” in human body is razed, should be ooo “I feel it’s home. There are >> Requirements “preserved and made important” ooo Hard to reach through warm people on this street.” ooo “I don’t feel alone” >> Two steps layers of access ooo “I feel my home extends to the ooo Pick a site that makes ooo Gradual peeling away to a whole block” the user group feel slow reveal ooo “The street life doesn’t intrude ooo Passage marked by a most in tune with the into the home… only area and the values of series of gateways ooo Nest of precincts, see Ise happiness comes in from the the past ooo “Preserve and embellish street” shrine ooo Progression of sacredness them in a way which >> Marked by MAIN GATEWAYS intensifies their public to final sanctum meaning” >> “At each threshold between precincts >> Progression-focused approach or build a gate, MAIN GATEWAYS; at each gate, “nested precincts” place a pause with a new view towards (see HOLY GROUND) the next most inner place; and at the inner ooo Create resistance in most sanctum, something very quiet and getting to the heart of able to inspire.” your sacred site ooo Series of spaces with gradual intensities toward inner sanctum ooo Thresholds reveal the nodes gradually

108

HIGH PLACES 62

MAIN GATEWAYS 53

ENTRANCE TRANSITION 112

“The instinct to climb up to some high place, from which you can look down and survey your world, seems to be a fundamental human instinct.”

“Any precinct, of some kind, will be reinforced, helped in its distinctness, marked, and made more vivid, if the paths which enter it are marked by gateways where they cross the boundary.”

“Buildings with a graceful transition between the street and the inside, are more tranquil than those which open directly off the street.”

>> Make infrequent, community

one

per

>> Two functions ooo Orient those on the ground from far away ooo A vantage point to climb to view far away >> Must work for the view though ooo Comprehensive view of city ooo “Cleanses mind and body” ooo Can being character to HOLY GROUND

109

>> Gardens can enhance this movement. >> “…Boundaries are usually in people’s minds. They mark the end of one kind >> The entrance experience influences your of activity, one kind of place, and the feelings once you are inside. ooo Without this transition, the beginning of another. In many cases, the activities themselves are made more inner sanctum is lost without sharp, more vivid, more alive, if the the feeling of an arrival. ooo Also, people must shake the boundary which exists in people’s minds is also present physically in the world.” outside off in order to make contact with the happenings >> Solid entities, things, not to be within. replaced by implied holes and gaps >> It can be done through a gradual >> Must be physical procession of spaces or floor texture transitions. ooo A change of surface, level, view, direction, sound…

FILTERED LIGHT 238

TRELLISED WALK 174

CLIMBING PLANTS 246

“Some filmmakers claim the play of light upon the retina is naturally sensuous, all by itself.”

“Trellised walks have their own special “They are a gift from the people inside to beauty. They are so unique, so different the people on the street.” from other ways of shaping a path, that >> “The sense of touch” gives walls a soft they are almost archetypal.” >> Our eyes already have a texture predisposition for exaggerating >> Emphasizes a path and sets apart a contrast, don’t play up harsh special divergent shadows. >> “Where paths need special protection or >> Practice using diffused or reflected where they need some intimacy, build a trellis…use it to help shape spaces on light either side of it.”

110

ROOF GARDEN 118

BUILDING EDGE 160

STAIR AS A STAGE 133

“…It seems necessary to build flat roof gardens off the indoor parts of the buildings…do not make them the highest part of the roof…make it possible to walk out to the roof garden from an interior room without climbing special stairs.”

“A building is most often thought of as something which turns inward – toward its rooms. People do not often think of a building as something which must also be oriented toward the outside.”

“A staircase is not just a way of getting from one floor to another. The stair is itself a space, a volume, a part of the building; and unless this space is made to live, it will be a dead spot, and work to disconnect the building and to tear its processes apart.”

>> Without a strong edge: ooo The space surrounding will seem useless and >> Horizontally located form lived-in empty ooo The building suffers parts of the building social isolation ooo The approach is like a crossing a vacant desert ooo Make sure space around is made for people so they feel welcome >> Place at various stories

>> Breathe life into the building edge ooo Connect it to the world around it ooo Make it part of the social fabric surrounding it ooo Connect others to the building through the outside >> An edge can be a “realm between realms” ooo Treat the edge as its own zone

111

>> Treat the stair as a room or as its own zone like the BUILDING EDGE Take advantage of the level >> changes as places to interact with others, to see and be seen >>

The first few steps can act as seats

Do not make it free standing >> or totally enclosed. Hug the inside edges and allow it to the follows the building’s skeleton.

Also, place it near enough to the entrance, so that it is prominent enough to demand attention from those entering the building, but far enough into the heart to convey a sense of intimate social character

GALLERY SURROUND 166 “If people cannot walk out from the building onto balconies and terraces which look toward the outdoor space around the building, then neither they themselves nor the people outside have any medium which helps them feel the building and the larger public world are intertwined.� >> Conversely from the BUILDING EDGE, spark connections from the inside to the outside. ooo Provide slow moving places for people to linger and gaze out to the world beyond the BUILDING EDGE, allowing them to connect with the scene outside. ooo Provide rich and engrossing areas that can be occupied for hours. >> Create a varied selection of these areas. ooo Perch ooo Viewing Benches

11 2

fundamental values FAMILY : GENIUS LOCI

RELATIONSHIPS : CONNECTIVITY

MINDFULNESS : APPROPRIATENESS

sense of all things: community, history,

(re)connecting people, ideas, past and

know the context, what it needs and has

and spirit

future

to offer, the bigger picture

This value was most important for

I cannot allow myself to get

Context is always something

my initial investigation.

When

disconnected from what is really

that is taken into account early

I went on a site visit last term, I

important in my life. Sacrifices

on in the design process.

had set up meetings with contacts

are made for both ends of the

term, I think I attained a better

in the area. At first, I thought

spectrum, a balance should be

understanding for the people,

that walking around Michigan

maintained. Sometimes taking a

the city, and the spirit of Detroit

Central Station would have a great

break, putting ideas on the back-

through research and face-to-face

influence on my project, which

burner, allows the mind to think

interviews with locals in the area.

it did; however, it was talking

through problems on its own.

Appropriateness is also something

Last

with the people that lived in the

that I am constantly going back

area that proved to be the most

and asking myself. Is my design

impactful.

appropriate? Would the people I have talked to be proud of my design? Would they understand my intentions?

Would they

support my method for addressing urban decay in Detroit?

113

SELF-AWARENESS : STIGMA

ABILITY : POTENTIAL

IDENTITY : EXPRESSION

mark of disgrace that opens the door to

blocks to build upon, the foundation for

the path to defining uniqueness,

potential

change

originality, character

Again, this was a value that I paid

From the beginning, I knew that

Defining the new identity of

a lot of attention to during the

Detroit has this potential to be

Corktown and the greater Detroit

beginning stages of my project.

a great city, once again.

How

area is crucial. If this identity is

I knew that Detroit had this

to capture that potential and

not intentionally clear, then more

negative image that needed to

translate

architecture

misunderstandings regarding the

change to show that there truly

has been a challenge and an

expression of my architecture and

is an “other� Detroit beneath the

opportunity for me to address. On

the area and people as a whole

stereotyping. Although this value

a more personal note, I have had to

could arise. My intentions should

served to influence my main thesis

also learn to trust my own ability

be clear just by looking at what I

statement and investigation, it has

as a designer to make quick design

have designed; it should be good

also been very helpful in furthering

decisions.

architecture, clear architecture.

it

into

my design process. All throughout

I am looking to create new

this project, I have tried to re-

understandings.

assess my work, taking a step back to look at it with new eyes.

11 4

SPONTANEITY : ADAPTABILITY

PASSION : STIMULUS

without versatility transformation is

empower people, empower city

turning a negative into a positive,

stifled

the driving force of change

reliance on what is working

Although it is clear that I am

There is already a strong, driving

I have learned to take all of the

adapting an old building to serve a

culture in Detroit.

Those that

support I can get. When not in

new purpose and new perspective,

have battled alongside the city

studio talking with professors, I

can my design also continue to

have a resilience to their character,

am doing design-critiques with my

adapt in the future? I have had

while those that are just arriving,

roommate, with my friends, with

discussions about how the new

bring with them a sense of

old professors, with bosses. The

form that I am creating could easily

determination to create something

more people I can get feedback

branch off into other areas of the

of themselves, to be a part of an

from, the more well-rounded my

building, while still contributing

untapped potential. How can

project can be.

to the whole.

my project work to weave itself

into that passion and begin to stimulate and further catalyze positive movements.

1 15

SUPPORTIVE : FACILITATE

MATURITY : TRANSFORMATION

SELF-IMPROVEMENT : RENEWAL

OPEN-MINDEDNESS : COLLABORATION

things can move forward only if change

the change of stigma, narrative and

exchanging and development of ideas, see

is embraced

genius loci, for the better

the other side

Just like Detroit, I have to allow my

This value is the definition of

This

project to embrace change. It feels

process. I am constantly renewing

improvement and development

as if I have had to start my design

and updating my ideas and design

of my thesis design. I need to be

process from the beginning over

forms in order to better represent

open to seeing my project in a new

and over again. If I can accept this

my intentions with this thesis

light, while creatively tackling any

as part of the larger development

investigation. I also have to learn

issues that might arise from this

of my thesis, then making mistakes

to accept that this process will

new perspective. Just when I think

can be seen as a necessity instead

not always be easy. Once I accept

I have a good idea, I need to be

of an unfortunate waste of time.

that, then challenges become

thinking of others to incorporate.

value

is

key

to

the

opportunities for development.

116

precedents NAME: GARE d’ORSAY LOCATION: PARIS, FRANCE STYLE: BEAUX-ARTS ACTIVE: 1900 - 1939 IDENTITY: MUSEE d’ORSAY PROGRAM: Art Museum REUSE: 1986 - present

Gare d’Orsay was a rail station completed in time for the 1900 Exposition Universelle. It became inactive because the small platforms no longer were suitable for the trains coming through. Alternative functions it served included a mailing center during World War II and later it was used as a part of several film sets. At one point, there had been plans to tear down the railway station, but the minister for cultural affairs defended d’Orsay. France’s directorate of museums wanted it to connect the Louvre and Pompidou. Today, the museum houses the largest collection of impressionist art in the world.

1 17

NAME: JULIO PRESTES LOCATION: MADRID, SPAIN STYLE: NEO-CLASSICAL ACTIVE: 1938 - 1990 IDENTITY: SALA SAO PAULO PROGRAM: CONCERT HALL REUSE: 1997 - present

Julio Prestes Station was originally completed to participate in the coffee and railway trade that was booming at its conception. However, thirteen years of construction proved to finish the station much too late, after automobile commuting popularized. After the suggestion by the secretary of culture to transform the station into a concert hall, the building quickly centered the city’s cultural revitalization movement. An adjustable ceiling system was only one of the major alternations made to the building to prepare it for its new program.

11 8

NAME: HAMBURG STATION LOCATION: BERLIN, GERMANY STYLE: NEO-RENAISSANCE ACTIVE: 1906 - 1990 IDENTITY: HAMBURG STATION PROGRAM: Art Museum REUSE: 1996 - present

Hamburg Station

was opened to replace four other terminal

stations. It became one of the busiest stations in Europe. After several renovations, traffic through the railway took its toll to the point that the station was converted into an exhibition hall. During World War II, the building took on significant damage and during the division between East and West Berlin, the museum sat dormant. Its eventual restoration was a part of the city’s 750th anniversary and was finally reopened as a museum of modern art, which now houses the most significant contemporary pieces in the world.

1 19

NAME: UNION TERMINAL LOCATION: CINCINNATI STYLE: ART DECO ACTIVE: 1933 - 1972 IDENTITY: UNION TERMINAL PROGRAM: HISTORY MUSEUM REUSE: 1990 - present

Cincinnati’s Union Terminal

was a major interchange

between the Northeast and Midwest. Winold Reiss was hired to create over a dozen murals to ornament the station’s walls. The terminal’s traffic slowly died down toward the end of World War II and was replaced by a smaller station in the city. It was voted an historic landmark, which was the only defender against complete razing. For a decade it was converted into a shopping mall and flea market before city voters passed a bond levy to save it. Ever since, it has served as a museum for natural history and science.

12 0

NAME: FIT C2 ADDITION LOCATION: NEW YORK CITY STYLE: contemporary ACTIVE: 1959 - PRESENT DESIGNER: SHOP ARCHITECTS PROGRAM: Art Museum PROPOSED: 2009

FIT C2 Addition was an addition to the fashion schools building not only to provide much needed additional programmatic space, but also to give the tired looking facade a face-lift and instill in it more of a presence within the context of New York City. The designers’ main intentions were to create a new identity for the building and the school through the use of visual permeability and new, vibrant design.

1 21

NAME: cellular clay habitation LOCATION: kazakhstan STYLE: innovative ACTIVE: N/A DESIGNER: SAKEN NARYNOV PROGRAM: HOUSING DESIGNED: 2010

Cellular Clay Multi-Family Habitation

was a

concept developed by not only an architect, but an artist, Saken Narynov.

He wanted to re-imagine earth, an ancient and local building material, as a modern complex able to span up multiple stories. To do this, he proposed a gridded infrastructure of steel to support the clay undulating form. This symbiotic relationship between organic and rigid form was interesting to relate to my project with Michigan Central Station.

122

NAME: speculative architecture LOCATION: n/a STYLE: theoretical ACTIVE: 1976 - present DESIGNER: lebbeus woods PROGRAM: exhibit pieces

The speculative architecture of Lebbeus Woods, although all but one were never realized, brings up controversial issues of the definition of design, art and architecture. His work is freed from the conformities that traditional architectural design poses. The majority of his explorations in design revolve around themes of crisis, the new meeting the old, the rigid meeting the organic. “Architecture is war. War is architecture.� The conceptual nature of his work I also found especially interesting, that one can become an architect by thinking like one.

123

124

125

SOURCES

126

local contacts

Mary Sudy

Jerry Paffendorf

T.J. Arini

grew up in Hamtramck, a city

is the founder of Imagination

is a local architect and

is

nestled within Detroit. Her

Station, a young non-proďŹ t

graduate of Detroit Mercy

program director of Practice

husband served many years

that has been working to

and has been aďŹƒliated with

Space, which brings together

as a Detroit policeman and

clean up a block on the

Detroit Design Festival. His

entrepreneurs,

fraud investigator. Together,

eastern side of Roosevelt

interests include the process

and the local community to

they have witnessed the

Park,

of decomposition and its

shape a business, its space,

ebb and ow of the city.

Central Station.

relation to space making

and its story.

She is also a much loved grandmother.

1 27

facing

Michigan

within the built environment.

Justin Mast the

co-founder

and

creatives,

Dean Simmer

Kaija Wuollet

Phil Cooley

Kate Bordine

is a Corktown resident,

is a local architect and

is a local entrepreneur and

is the executive director

minister, educator, and some

ownder of Abberations in

catalytic urbanite.

He is

of Pony Ride, a non-profit

what of a social instigator.

Corktown.

She has been

the owner and founder of

that works to provide local

He knows the people; he

involved in several projects

Slows Bar-B-Q, a successful

entrepreneurs

knows the area. He has ties

in Detroit, including Nora,

restaurant off of Michigan

space to create, socialize,

with many of the community

Detroit Institute of Bagels,

Ave; and co-founder of Pony

and grow. She is constantly

members.

Slows Bar-B-Q expansion

Ride. His current endeavors

working

and Pony Ride.

are

framework

numerous

constant flux.

and

in

to

affordable

establish for

creative

thinking at Pony Ride.

12 8

a

bibliography A lexander, Christopher, Sara Ishikawa, and Murray Silverstein.

A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction. New York: Oxford UP, 1977.

Christopher Alexander believes that the act of designing has similar patterns and language to our vocal dialgoues. In a similar way we speak, through design there is a need to convey meaning through form. In this book, Alexander has set up a framework for organizing and coherence of those forms, giving them a clear voice so all can understand design.

D etroit Free Press Newspaper Articles and Mary Sudy These have yet to be cataloged specifically, but a surplus of them have been coming in from my grandma who lives north of Detroit and is aware of my thesis project. My grandmother has also served as a direct resource.

A ustin, Dan, and Sean Doerr. Lost Detroit: Stories behind the Motor City’s Majestic Ruins.

Charleston, SC: History, 2010.

As a journalist and historian, Dan Austin worked along Sean Doerr, a photographer of Detroit ruin since he was fourteen, to create this tribute to some of the city’s most iconic forgotten landmarks. Both contributors understand the offerings of these monumental pieces of architecture had on the city. There is also a chapter dedicated to Michigan Central Station.

“F rontiers to Factories: Detroiters at Work, 1701-1901.” Detroit Historical Society. <http://detroithistorical.org/ detroit-historical-museum/ exhibitions/signature-exhibitions/ frontiers-factories-detroiterswork-1701> The Detroit Historical Society is dedicated to preserving Detroit’s history.

I plan to look at their exhibits to draw conclusions on the effectiveness of certain strategies when doing so.

1 29

B auman, Kevin.

100 Abandoned Houses. <http:// www.100abandonedhouses.com/>.

Kevin Bauman’s photography captures the distress of abandoned houses in Detroit. Bauman started taking photographs in this way in the mid-1990s and has continued to be attracted to the ruin amidst the affluence of Detroit.

G allagher, John. Reimagining Detroit: Opportunities for Redefining an American City.

Detroit, MI: Wayne State UP, 2010.

John Gallagher is a journalist for the Detroit Free Press. He is well known for his opinions regarding Detroit and is looked up to in the community. His ideas about Detroit drew out some of my initial inspiration to cover this topic as my architectural thesis. His views on where Detroit is and where is should go will serve as a guiding force throughout my project.

B easley, Norman, and George W. Stark. Made in Detroit. New York: Putnam, 1957.

This historical narrative of Detroit’s past is a point of view that resonated with my design language. This book is factual, yet speaks in a way that mirrors the true voice of Detroit, a vantage point that must immerse this project.

G allagher, John. Revolution Detroit: Strategies for Urban Reinvention. Detroit, MI: Wayne State UP, 2013.

In this follow up book, John Gallagher argues that many cities around the world are dealing with a similar, broken municipal model that Detroit has suffered. Detroit’s struggle with reinvention could draw inspiration from other United States and European cities, some of which Gallagher discusses in this book. These “legacy cities” need to take on a phlegmatic attitude in order to spark change within their borders and out to the rest of the world.

“C orktown Historic District.”

National Park Service. <http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/ detroit/d19.htm> The Nation Park Service is a trusted source when researching the history of historic districts. This source also speaks of the defining character of Corktown that landed it on the Register of Historic Places, alluding to things that need or should be preserved.

G allion, Arthur B., and Simon Eisner. The Urban Pattern; City Planning and Design. Princeton, NJ: Van Nostrand, 1963.

Arthur Gallion examines the processes by which our cities rise and fall, expand and shrink. He pinpoints philosophies that resonate with modern topics such as regeneration and renewal. Gallion also draws a strong connection between the success of a city and its connection to its citizens. It is a cyclical process of improving the people by improving the city with the help of those same people.

Although this edition is over 50 years old, his words resonate deeply with the happenings Detroit faces today.

D ata Driven Detroit. <http://www. cridata.org/>.

This website has a wealth of knowledge.

It’s “MAPS 2.0” program allows me to visualize city statistics, which I then traced and overlapped to discover certain urban patterns regarding different demographics.

G reen Garage. <http:// greengaragedetroit.com/>.

This Midtown enterprise serves as an entrepreneurship laboratory in downtown Detroit. It fosters mostly sustainable and technologically advances ideas. Also at the communities disposal is a library, however part of it is traditional, that mainly serves as a connector between people that want to develop their greening ideas with those that can help.

130

G reening of Detroit (NGO). <http://greeningofdetroit.com/>.

Their mission statement speaks of inspiring sustainable growth in Detroit on multiple platforms, including urban farm and workforce development. They help get local growers started with all of the components of gardening, along with instruction and know-how. This non-profit resource agency is located just north of Corktown.

S ala Sao Paulo.

<http://www.osesp.art.br/portal/ paginadinamica.aspx?pagina=salas aopaulo&Cultura=en-GB>.

This train station rose out of the booming coffee trade in Brazil and began its similar decline after the rise of the automobile. Today is serves as one of the country’s most important concert halls.

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G rossinger, Robert S. Examining the Impact of Food Deserts on Public Health in Detroit. Chicago: Mari Gallagher Research & Consulting Group, 2007.

This research study makes apparent the concern regarding food availability in Detroit. Issues revolving around this topic are supportive factors for establishing urban agriculture in Detroit.

H amburger Bahnhof. <http://www. smb.museum/en/museums-andinstitutions/hamburgerbahnhof/home.html>.

One of the only remaining Neoclassical style train stations in Berlin, Hamburger Bahnhof, unlike many stations in America, was closed because it could not handle the increase in railway traffic.

After its renovation, it was eventually converted into an art museum. Today it holds one of the most important contemporary art collections in the world.

S HoP Architects. FIT C2.

S tephens,

The facade of this building shows how new identity can be defined in an existing structure through the help of architectural design.

Noah Stephens’ work shows the inherent character of Detroit through photographic media. His portraits exemplify the spirit of Detroit. Showing a way this spirit can be preserved through photography is inspirational when trying to preserve Detroit’s spirit through architecture.

<http://www.shoparc.com/ project/FIT-C2>.

Noah. The People of Detroit. <http://www. thepeopleofdetroit.com/>

M usee d’Orsay. <http://www. google.com/culturalinstitute/ collection/musee-dorsayparis?projectId=art-project>.

Paris’s old railway was converted into a museum that now houses works of art ranging from 1818-1914. This precedent has relevance to my project because it shows how adaptive reuse can transform an old architectural icon into a functional building for the community.

S PARC - Society to Promote Art

& Recreation in the Community (NGO) <sparcdetroit@gmail.com> <http:// www.detroitdreamproject.org/>.

In association with The Detroit Dream Project, SPARC focuses on art in the community as a way to foster new economic growth for the city of Detroit.

They believe that big projects and results can be obtained just by inspiring enough people to participate, even if that means starting at a smaller grassroots scale.

N arynov, Saken. Cellular Clay Multi-Family Habitation. <http://www.evolo.us/ architecture/cellular-claymultifamily-habitation-sakennarynov/>.

This project was an excellent reference to look at when questioning the complexities of marrying rigid and organic forms seamlessly together.

P ractice Space. practicespace.org/>.

<http://

This local workshop based company serves as an incubator + residency to foster new entrepreneurships for Detroit.

Their Workspace is their home base, located just northwest of Michigan Central Station.

U nion

Terminal. <http://www. cincymuseum.org/unionterminal>.

U nited

The Art Deco style, Cincinnati station was once a bustling rail center. It now plays host to a variety of facilities, mostly history museums.

These sources served as my fact finder data-bases. They have a collection of statistics, histories, and quick facts, which were helpful for setting the stage for my project’s concern and purpose.

States Census Bureau. <www.detroitmi.gov> <http://www.history.com>.

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“W here We Work.” LISC Detroit. <http://www.lisc.org/detroit/ where_we_work/strategic_ investment_areas_%28sias%29. php> This source lists the neighborhood of my site, in the form of a diagrammed map, as a possible area of investment with regards to “building sustainable communities and neighborhoods.”

W oods,

Lebbeus.

Speculative architecture. <http://www.archdaily.com/tag/ lebbeus-woods/>.

The works of Lebbeous Wood were a constant reminder of how design can push the boundaries of architecture. This translated into a more organic approach to my design process overall.

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LIST OF FIGURES P refac e The Spirit of Detroit www.godsvoicedetroit.com

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Cont ents Barbed wire wallpaperswide.com

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3 - 4 Detroit blight www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f37/ toyota-struggles-reignite-youthminded-scion-brand-119538/index4. html

2 1 -2 2 MCS interior doppelgangerurbex.blogspot. com/2010/04/michigan-central-station. html

7 - 8 House and skyline Rebecca Cook/Reuters

2 3 -2 4 People of Detroit www.thepeopleofdetroit.com

9 - 10 Detroit map Google Earth compilation

2 7-2 8

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Tour de Troit shendersonresurget.com

MCS www.chrischevrier.com

MCS aerial fineartamerica.com/profiles/cindylindow.html

MCS aerial leftblink.wordpress.com/2014/04/29/ urbexing-in-motown

1 1 7 -1 2 3 Precedents travelgspots.wordpress.com clovis3dme.blogspot.com pher.ch/photos/cities/berlin2/ slides/Hamburger%20Bahnhof%20 Museum%203.html www.cincymuseum.org www.shoparc.com www.evolo.us/architecture/cellularclay-multifamily-habitation-sakennarynov http://lebbeuswoods.net 1 2 7 -1 2 8 Contacts www.crainsdetroit.com LinkedIn profile TJ Arini practicespace.org www.dsimmer.com vimeo.com/79296533 www.dbusiness.com www.ponyride.org

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Corktown sign insidesouthwest.com

2 9-3 0 Water tower MCS doppelgangerurbex.blogspot. com/2010/04/michigan-central-station. html

Models Site, dollhouse, elevation Photography by Dylan Boye

1 5- 16

4 5 -4 6

Park plan www.ponyride.org/#!roosevelt-park/ c2ws

R enderi ngs

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93 -94 Righty house studioish.net

Houses, MCS www.100abandonedhouses.com amusingearth.com/list-of-abandonedplaces

Before and after www.davejordano.com

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Post-processing Editing by Dylan Boye