Pixelgawker

a laboratory is a very appropriate comparison for detroit because it suggests an environment where research, experimentation and teaching are encouraged. a laboratory, given the right set of conditions, can produce very exciting yet potentially dangerous outcomes. the results all depend on the motive of the scientist or researcher and what they are trying to accomplish. with hard work and motivation, scientists have the potential for results that can solve some of the world’s biggest problems. with perseverance, humility and the willingness to make mistakes, scientists and designers alike can be innovative. the reward of success far outweigh the risk of failure.

both megan and colleen have established objective and emotional arguments as to why design in michigan is still relevant: the ability to create impact, immediate access to the design community and affordable living. now i ask: where in this country, at this particular time, is there a better chance to experiment with design practice than detroit. where else in the country is your risk of failure so small and your opportunities for success so great? yes, our immediate future is defined by digging ourselves out of an economic mess and soaring unemployment, but our long-term future is a design community that can survive independent of the automotive industry and that can define it’s success not by artifact but by ideas. it can also be defined by an up-and-coming generation of designers willing to stay and play. with the ability to think beyond the current model of design practice, michigan designers will no longer be a victim of their circumstances, rather, they will define a new reality based on the conditions presented to them.

in order to realize that potential, the silos that we have built for ourselves need to be torn down so we can successfully rebuild our design community. in an earlier post (here) i discuss the celebrate michigan design initiative that colleen and i initiated thru aiga detroit. we started off with the simple premise that michigan in general and detroit specifically was once world renown for it’s design innovation in both theory and practice. we discussed at length how our once illustrious history was now lost amidst a dismal economy and a public’s general apathy towards design. we lamented that michigan used to be a design innovator. we wondered, “what is it that’s keeps us from reaching new levels of innovation? are we dwarves standing on the shoulders of giants unable to cast a new vision for ourselves?”

as pixelgawker continues to evolve, we will begin to break this larger question into a series of case studies. we will be revisiting this topic from different perspectives and looking to voices around the community to help us shape the conversation. but moving forward, i would encourage everyone to simply share stories of studios, organizations and individuals that are trying to break convention and reshape detroit in their own image. let perseverance and hard work be our source of inspiration. we must collectively recognize good ideas so we can help support them. let’s reward those who are taking chances and taking a risk to help build a new reality for detroit design. let’s become a community that embraces change and is not afraid to take risks.

in conclusion i would like to highlight several noteworthy individuals and organizations that are inspiring not only because of what they do but how they do it. as we begin to share stories and voices begin to emerge i hope we can be inspired to provoke ourselves and others into action.

design 99: Part retail space, part architectural design studio, design 99 seeks to break the notion of contemporary design as expensive and inaccessible. see an interview here of owners mitch cope and gina reichert.

great lake urban exchange: as i mentioned in an earlier post, even though it’s not a design organization, glue is a great model for us to follow. it was founded by two twenty-something great lakes residents, as a multi-media documentary, networking, and creative research effort to encapsulate day-to-day experiences in “declining” post-industrial cities and answer the question: what’s right and what’s wrong about my post-industrial city?

detroit industrial arts league: a growing collective of detroit-based creative professionals developing a non-profit open-access industrial arts and design facility. by filling out the survey located on their site, people can effectively help the organization become a reality.

sweet juniper: an honest reflection of “two people people raising their kids in the most dangerous city in America.”

aiga detroit: in addiiton to  regular programming centered on celebrating michigan design, this summer, aiga detroit will be organizing a series of conversations promoting best practices in design.

detroit make it here: a user-centric news, information and networking hub for detroit-based creatives.

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