Beyond the pragmatic aspects of creating a unified public space among diverse partners, CCPI is a deliberate act of social and environmental reparation, reshaping Detroit's post-modern, racialized, and economically battered urban fabric to create a communal space that both reflects and redefines the city’s identity. The guiding plan, an outcome of an intensive five year planning process, builds on methodologies that combine sustainable urbanism, ecological resilience, and nature-based solutions, seeking to elevate the understanding of the socio-cultural and ecological dimensions of urban spaces. Its defining quality, however, lies in its adaptable design process, which includes the development of a pedestrian square, a green band of multiple plazas, an ecotone for nature- based environmental management, and a necklace of small-scale pedestrian paths for interactions with plantings and arts overlay. These elements were calibrated to the individual needs of each institution through robust engagement, making the shared infrastructure more compelling through customization.
2019-2022
Midtown Detroit
Scale:
83 acres
Client:
Midtown Detroit, Inc, The Detroit Cultural Center Association (DCCA)
Competition:
DIA Plaza | Midtown Cultural Connections Design Competition
Winner, “Detroit Square” submission in collaboration with Agence Ter,
Dr. Harley Etienne, rootoftwo
Stakeholder Institutions:
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Detroit Historical Museum, Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Public Library, Michigan Science Center, Carr Center, Hellenic Museum of Michigan, International Institute of
Metro Detroit, and the Scarab Club, University of Michigan, College for Creative Studies, Wayne State University
Funding/ Grants:
William Davidson Foundation, Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, Knight Foundation, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, Gilbert Family Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, Hudson Webber Foundation, Walters Family Foundation, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Wayne State University, National Endowment for the Arts, Michigan Arts and Culture Council, and the State of Michigan Appropriation
Principals:
Jean Louis Farges, Olivier Philippe, Anya Sirota
Collaborators:
Agence Ter
Consultants:Arcadis Engineering, 8’-18” Lumière, Drummond Carpenter & Associates, Dr. Harley Etienne, Ohio State University Rich & Associates
Design Team Detroit:
Sarah Carter (project manager), Ian Donaldson, Liz Feltz, Abirami Nachammai Manivannan, Valeria de Jongh, Ibiayi Briggs, Jonathan Craig
Design Team Paris:
Marina Daviu, Kevin Marand, Marie Saalburg
Design Team Barcelona:
Pilar Llop
Publications:
Project Volumes 1-4:
The Guiding Plan
Water Management
Mobility & Access
Parking
Visit: ccpi.online for a full project overview.
Awards:
Bay Urban Visioning Awards. Bilbao Metropolis-30 Partners in Progress, Finalist (2024)
Architect’s Newspaper Best of Design Merit Award. Honorable Mention in the Urban Design & Master Plan (2023)