City in Motion

City in Motion looks to reflect the ongoing changes to Detroit’s architectural identity. While Detroit has maintained a majority of its historic buildings, there have been few projects this millennium adding to that history and instead many fell into disuse and disrepair. The city’s radical shift in industry during the 2010s generated an amount of private investment not seen in decades, and a skyline long devoid of construction cranes, a ubiquitous sight in so many other cities, is now seeing new high rises and ambitious restoration projects. These contrasts reflect broader themes of development and neglect in the city’s neighborhoods as both private and public capital move to and avoid locations based on their perceived potential for return on investment. Development is rarely seen as value-neutral and decisions regarding preservation, modification and creation are in constant competition. The work here seeks to document and frame those decisions as they play out in Detroit’s downtown.