Pixelgawker

Perspectives on Detroit from a designer who always thought she’d leave.

What I didn’t anticipate was such an ill response on the out-of-state job-seeking front. Nor, at the time, did I understand the enormity of the economic downturn that has since plagued our nation. I don’t know whether it was the dismissive replies from all the design studios, or the thought of driving a U-haul mid-winter, or an insightful conversation that I’d had with a teacher and friend, but this past January the fire inside me, that for so long was fueling my Detroit departure, all of a sudden seemed to dwindle. Somehow Detroit was beginning to feel all the more spectacular. I began to think deeply about what it was that I was really looking for out of state. Was it an impressive job? A stylish apartment? Meaningful relationships? It was as if in all the excitement of graduation I had lost sight of what I was truly in search off. It only then dawned on me, that all I was looking for I already had, and I had it all right here in this delightfully unrefined city.

What may seem like an over-night shift in perspective and ideals has, I believe, actually been gradually building up over the past 4.5 years. During this time, I’ve had the fortunate experience to meet, talk and work with a good number of genuine, talented individuals who each, in their own way, have contributed to the molding of my design ideas and understanding. Both living in and attending school in Detroit has played a vital role in shaping who I have become as a young designer and will continue to be a driving force as I grow and evolve. For that, I am continually proud and eternally grateful. Recently, a family friend asked me when I was moving to New York City. My response seemed to catch her off guard. “I don’t know,” I said. “Maybe next month, maybe next year, maybe never.” I told her that Detroit has this weird ability to grab you up, and hold on tight. It clenches you like the jaws of a pit bull. In the beginning its painful, but soon the sting disappears and you’re proud of the scars it leaves behind.

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So what exactly is it that Detroit has to offer a young designer? How can we encourage creatives to stay here? What models can we adapt to better grow design business? In what ways can we work together to cultivate a new plan for Detroit? These are just a sampling of topics that we hope to explore in the coming months. Our ideas will sometimes seem idealistic, but above all we hope to find some practical solutions. Our goal is not necessarily to provide all the answers, but to encourage a dialogue and inspire others.

To kick things off, I offer up five simple reasons why its good to be a designer in Detroit:

1. Community – Perhaps one of the greatest incentives the city can offer a designer is a modest, albeit substantial, design community. Humble but steadily growing, the Detroit design scene is alive and active, making it easy for young designers to be involved and have a real voice.

2. Rolling hills and sweeping plains – Well, more plains then hills, but boundless land nonetheless. What New York boasts in skyscrapers, Detroit counters with broad, available urban landscape – an asset that very few North American cities can offer, and an opportunity for massive re-development and renewal.

4. Opportunity to be a part of something monumental – Call it wishful thinking, but I believe that something big is going to happen in Detroit, and its going to happen sooner then we think. That ’something’ will be led by the creative class, and will require new models of thinking, and joint efforts from individuals residing both within the city and without. (stay tuned for more on this topic)

5. The simple fact that we have nothing to loose.

Here’s to this wondrous gem of a city, with lots to boast and far more to discover.

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