Hip-hop architecture has garnered more attention in recent years, with a major exhibition at the Center for Architecture in New York, TED Talks, and a feature in Architect magazine. But while it’s a useful concept, Craig Wilkins refuses to let the label limit a set of practices and ideals that, he argues, ought to infuse the entire profession.

Researchers at the University of Michigan joined forces with community members and the Southwest Detroit Community Benefits Coalition to evaluate the noise impact of the trucks on the neighborhood, many being rerouted as part of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge under construction.

“Detroit has a lot of possible accommodation sites within 50 miles, but a lot fewer five-star hotel rooms, which is where the Olympic bigwigs usually like to stay. This is just one example of the ways in which a Detroit games could bring the IOC back in touch with its real audience.”
~ Stefan Szymanski

The Taubman Public Design Corps builds partnerships between student designers and local nonprofits.

While cluster hires are an effective approach to hiring that brings in multiple faculty members engaged in related scholarship, these new hires will join a well-established and university-supported anti-racism research infrastructure that is being enhanced with additional funding from the Office of the Provost through the National Center for Institutional Diversity.

Architecture graduate student Torri Smith is a Detroit native with a passion to elevate the diverse narratives of minority students in the design field.

The focus of this past year’s Student Design Competition was the Midtown Cultural Center, a district in Detroit consisting of multiple cultural institutions. Students were challenged to utilize technology to support the mission of the Midtown Cultural Center.

Local philanthropist Waltraud “Wally” Prechter is offering to match up to $1 million in gifts that support the School of Education’s work on the P-20 partnership. Qualifying donations will support teacher education, students with scholarships and training in Detroit; advance curriculum development, implementation and evaluation; and further the professional growth of Detroit educators. 

C3’s focus is on a few of the counties most effected by the pandemic: Wayne, Genesee, Kent, and Washtenaw. Within these communities, they’re examining communication channels among the African-American and Latino populations in addition to messaging to promote healthy choices.