The Detroit Collaborative Design Center has been named the 2017 winner of the American Institute of Architects’ prestigious Whitney M. Young Jr. Award.
Named for the civil rights leader, the honor is given to an architect or architectural organization that “embodies social responsibility and actively addresses a relevant issue, such as affordable housing, inclusiveness or universal access.”
“For any arch
itect or organization committed to public interest design, this is without a doubt the highest honor one could hope to receive,” said Will Wittig, AIA, dean of the School of Architecture, which is home to the DCDC. “We are humbled to be the recipients of this distinction, and are grateful for the leadership of Dan Pitera, FAIA, professor and executive director of the DCDC, Steve Vogel, FAIA, professor, former dean, and founder of the DCDC, Fr. Terrence Curry, S.J., AIA, the original executive director, and all our talented staff members who have contributed to the work of the DCDC since its inception.”
“Since 1994, the DCDC has been an invaluable resource for more than 100 local organizations, especially many small community groups that made a significant and positive impact on local residents,” said Detroit Mercy President Antoine M. Garibaldi. “The DCDC exemplifies the University’s mission of service to the urban community.”
In addition to completing a variety of planning and design projects that have served countless citizens in Detroit and beyond, their ability to enhance the capacity of each collaborating organization may be even more meaningful. On numerous occasions the very process of engaging the DCDC to assist a particular community has resulted in everyday citizens and nascent leaders expanding their ability to organize and work together toward common goals.
DCDC’s leadership in advocating for a robust form of empowerment that goes well beyond traditional forms of community input has significantly altered the way development now unfolds in Detroit and beyond. Prior to the existence of the DCDC, development in Detroit followed a top-down model with only cursory involvement from citizens and stakeholder groups. Today the kind of public interest approach they have championed both here and around the country has become the norm. The DCDC is not just empowering those it serves directly, but it is also contributing to the profession as educators of the next generation of activist architects. This begins with their influence on the overall culture of the School of Architecture (and in fact the entire University), which sets the tone for what it means to be a Detroit Mercy-educated architect.
In his letter nominating the DCDC for the award Wittig wrote, “The community-based work of the design center grounds our mission and demonstrates to every student that architecture is in fact a service profession — we are at our best when we recognize that we are blessed with the opportunity to impact our communities as a force for empowering others.”
The DCDC is noted for the research it gathered from community members and neighborhood residents to help the city of Detroit create the blueprint for the city’s future known as Detroit Future City.
Recent projects have included a major redevelopment of the Skinner Playfields at Denby High School on Detroit’s east side. The project, completed in October, included basketball and volleyball courts, a climbing mound for children, raised gardens, an apple orchard and a solar-powered stage and pavilion for performances. The DCDC also collaborates in less visible ways with neighborhood organizations including designing and performing research, developing social media campaigns, providing instructions on preparing grant proposals and other ways.
The award will be officially presented at the AIA national convention in Orlando, Fla., in April. For all our SOA alumni who may be attending the convention, please stay tuned for details about opportunities to join in the celebration.
