Technology Century V.17 N.4 - ESD

THE STORIES THAT MADE HEADLINES IN 2012
Urban Agriculture: A New Solution for
Shrinking Cities Summer-Fall 2012 (Vol. 17 No. 2)
Editor’s Note: The solution to urban plight is no easy
one, especially if it is the city of Detroit. With so many
vacant lands and buildings cluttering the landscape,
numerous organizations have been discussing ways to fix
the problem. What impressed us about this story is that
it lays out a master plan by a team of Lawrence Technological
University students and community stakeholders to
not only make the city beautiful, but also to strengthen its
existing assets.
For more than 10 years, the Detroit Studio, a community
outreach program of Lawrence Tech’s College of Architecture
and Design, has studied possible solutions to the
problems facing many of Detroit’s neighborhoods such as
chronic unemployment, poor public health, a declining
housing stock, and a vast number of vacant lots, all of
which affect each other in complex ways.
To investigate these issues, the Detroit Studio and a
local community on East Forest Avenue in Detroit have
collaborated on a sustainable community design project
funded by the Community Foundation for Southeast
Michigan and other community groups…
The master plan starts with strengthening and building
on existing housing assets. Areas where houses are in
good condition can be strengthened partly through
better access to diverse green features. Blocks that have
many vacant properties or structures in severe disrepair
can be used for various types of urban agriculture, as
can green spaces, such as parks, playgrounds, and other
landscape features.
Lawrence Tech students present a planning proposal to a community group representing residents of the East Forest Avenue study area in Detroit.
8 | Technology Century | 2012 YEAR IN REVIEW