Co-instructor: Gabriel Cuellar
Studio Team: Trevor Hibbs, Tao Chou, Cam Blaklely, Lauren Jenkins, Ehsan Alam, Yi-Chien Kuo, Jess Chen, Akshita Mandhyan, Mujie Sui, Dongjiang Jiao, Virginia Bassily, Yesha Malaviya, Srilaxmi Melkundi, Deepa Bansal
Our studio, Frontier Transitions, recognizes the profound impact of suburbanization in shaping the United States' physical layout, power dynamics, and social relations, with Metro Detroit serving as a prime example. UD 712 aims to use urban design as a tool to reimagine these suburbs, creating more sustainable and just spaces. We pose the following design prompt,
Rather than simply providing land for accelerating urban expansion, how could suburban jurisdictions resist status quo urbanization?
In the process, what new dynamics and qualities might the space of the urban frontier take on?
How might the frontier’s new role contribute to advancing spatial justice here and beyond?
By exploring new spatial patterns, socio-legal practices, and economic structures, the studio seeks to challenge traditional urbanization approaches. Over the semester our students have worked in pairs to explore contemporary urban design strategies that address systemic issues, risks, and inequalities in these suburban frontiers, leading them to their final project's approach.