Paradigm Shift

UDM HOME RE:SEARCH HOME KNOWLEDGE HOME TITAN CONNECT

DSpace Home
→
University of Detroit Mercy Dissertation, Thesis, and Student Project Collections
→
Architecture Thesis Collection
→
View Item

Paradigm Shift

Olkhovetska, Iryna

URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10429/2561

Date: 2024-05-01

Abstract:

This research explores strategies to transform conventional car-centric, low-density suburbs in Metro Detroit, MI, into more vibrant, sustainable, and socially connected places by adapting models from European suburbs. The study addresses the cultural, health, and environmental flaws of post-war suburban development patterns in the U.S. that prioritized automobile dependency and use-segregated zoning. Precedents from Vauban, Germany, and other European suburbs demonstrate alternative models centered on walkability, mixed-use density, transit connectivity, and community-oriented design. To address these challenges, this thesis investigates the historical, cultural, and social factors shaping suburban housing preferences and community life in Metro Detroit, aiming to identify current issues and propose revitalization strategies inspired by European precedents. The work seeks to envision a paradigm shift in suburban planning and design that transforms neighborhoods into sustainable, socially connected, and vibrant places, fostering a profound sense of community and belonging. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining historical analysis of Detroit's suburban evolution, comparative case studies of U.S. and European suburbs, GIS mapping of current suburban morphologies, photo-elicitation surveys on perceptions, and design experiments reimagining local suburbs using adapted European strategies. The findings reveal the dominance of disconnected, car-centric layouts in Detroit's suburbs, limiting walkability and community compared to the nodal connectivity and land-use diversity of European models. Integrating mixed-use nodes, "complete streets," and placemaking adapted to local culture could transform the social vibrancy of Detroit's neighborhoods. By bridging international best practices with Detroit's unique dynamics, this research contributes to the discourse on livable suburban development, demonstrating a methodology for transforming sprawling neighborhoods into vibrant communities through urban design, planning, and engagement strategies. Ultimately, the investigation provides a valuable model for architects and planners to sensitively reshape suburbs by examining interactions between history, lived experiences, and physical form.

Description:

Imagine a suburban nationhood where neighborhood streets buzz with energetic life. Children can play freely in places adorned with public art celebrating the area's rich cultural heritage. Families stroll down tree-lined promenades to the central village green for the weekly farmers' market and live music performances. Teenagers socialize over warm pretzels at the outdoor cafe, while seniors gather for lively chess games in the sunny courtyard. There is a seamless blending of public and private spaces, fostering a tangible sense of community belonging, and social vibrancy. This idyllic suburban vision echoing innovative urban developments found in select European towns forms the central inspiration for this thesis. By drawing from such precedents, the research aims to catalyze a transformative paradigm shift in how suburban neighborhoods are designed and planned in Metro Detroit, Michigan. The key premise is that the region's existing automobile-dependent suburban fabric can be reimagined and revitalized to foster a greater sense of community, social cohesion, vibrancy, and pride of place for residents. Through comparative urban design analysis of exemplar walkable European suburbs like Vauban in Germany, and Lysynychi in Ukraine and other aspirational concepts grounded in thoughtful placemaking, mixed-use density, multi-modal connectivity, and activated public spaces emerge as potential solutions. These strategies, when localized through inclusive engagement with Detroit communities, could help transform the region's disconnected, car-centric neighborhoods into thriving sociocultural hubs prioritizing environmental sustainability and human experience. To situate this investigation, it is important to understand what is already known about this topic based on previous studies and work. The postwar suburban development model in America enabled the growth of automobile-dependent communities lacking walkability, mixed land uses, and vibrant social spaces. As flaws in this blueprint have become apparent, ideas have emerged for rectifying unsustainable suburbs. Key perspectives include Coates (2013) highlighting sustainable transportation and diverse land uses in Germany's Vauban; Stef (2023) envisioning revitalized suburbs with amenities and transit; Sheidlower (2021) historically critiquing seminal Levittown's car-centricity; and Steuteville (2021) offering practical suburban retrofit solutions. These sources provide invaluable yet varying viewpoints on creating socially, economically, and environmentally healthy suburbs by learning from past innovations and mistakes. Concepts like placemaking (Tachieva, 2010), walkability (Beske & Dixon, 2018), and connectivity via quality streets and public transit (Marshall, 2005; Tachieva, 2010; Beske & Dixon, 2018) also arise as important themes. Rooted within this landscape of scholarly interrogation and aspirations for reformation, Lynch's (1960) delineation of urban nodes assumes heightened pertinence. These nodes, as elucidated in "The Image of the City", embody strategic loci with the potential to transform suburban landscapes by fostering walkability, mixed land uses, and vibrant social spaces. The interconnectedness of nodes with the thematic preoccupations of placemaking, walkability, and connectivity symbolizes synchrony of vision, reflecting the comprehensive and multi-dimensional nature of suburban reconfiguration endeavors. Furthermore, statistics from a Harvard University study on loneliness in America indicate that around 36% of all Americans report serious loneliness, rising to 61% among young adults and 51% among mothers. The main reasons for this sense of loneliness in America include a lack of in-person social interactions, inadequate social infrastructure, and pro-connection public policies. Building upon this context, this research conceptualizes suburban issues multi-dimensionally, combining ambitious re-envisioning grounded in critical history and practical improvements to transform unsustainable patterns. The goal is vibrant, equitable, and accessible neighborhoods that balance preservation with growth. Terms like vibrancy, walkability, and connectivity help encapsulate objectives. To answer its questions, the research analyzes the current state of Detroit's suburbs across dimensions like history, land use, community identity, and layout configurations. This involves documenting and evaluating factors that shape the built environment and quality of life. It identifies issues with the suburban landscape today, especially around walkability, amenities, and community engagement, assessing challenges and gaps in existing neighborhoods. Based on this analysis, the research proposes innovative revitalization strategies for suburbs based on precedents from select European developments that have strong public spaces and social cohesion. It explores aspirational visions for change and envisions a paradigm shift in suburban planning and design within Detroit's context through mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly concepts adapted to local cultural nuances. The intent is to advocate for alternative models tailored to the region and contribute to the discourse on sustainable urban development by connecting international best practices with Detroit's unique dynamics. Situating this research within a broader span of knowledge is also a key aim. In essence, the intent is to reimagine suburban living in Metro Detroit in a way that transforms neighborhoods into more sustainable, socially connected, and vibrant places that foster residents' profound sense of community and belonging. The investigation aims to understand the complex interplay of historical, cultural, and social dynamics underpinning Detroit's suburbs to catalyze impactful changes aligned with emerging needs. This research endeavors to catalyze a transformative suburban paradigm shift in Detroit, Michigan by drawing inspiration from innovative urban developments in select European towns. It argues that by studying the historical, cultural, and sociological factors shaping Detroit's suburbs and examining issues like limited walkability and community engagement, targeted strategies adapted from vibrant European neighborhoods could lead to impactful revitalization. The thesis states that this approach could recalibrate Metro Detroit's suburbs as socially vital hubs fostering belonging, connectivity, and shared experiences for residents. It advocates that effective community design requires understanding and facilitating social bonds. Key propositions include creating vibrant neighborhood centers/nodes and outdoor gathering spaces to serve as connective hubs fostering community activities, interactions, and a shared sense of identity. This network of parks and amenity nodes like playgrounds would enhance social bonds within suburban communities. Additionally, introducing greenery, public art, and culturally symbolic elements that resonate with long-term residents into public spaces and streetscapes could strengthen cultural heritage and neighborhood pride unique to Detroit. The investigation methodology, combining historical analysis, comparative studies, surveys, and statistical data, aims to provide actionable and comprehensive suburban transformation proposals tailored to Detroit. Ultimately, the research argues for the value of connecting international best practices with the unique cultural nuances of Detroit to inspire alternative suburban planning paradigms centered on diversity, vibrancy, and livability. It asserts that reimagining suburbs in this manner advances knowledge of sustainable urban development discourse. The central thesis advocates for a blending of ambitious visioning, critical history, and attainable design fixes to drive positive change in Metro Detroit's suburbs. To sustain this central argument, the research employs a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate the key concepts related to suburban neighborhoods. This includes documentation and observation of public spaces to analyze functionality and usage; examination of suburban characteristics, qualities, and elements; mapping and visual documentation (photos, sketches) of environments; and literature review plus historical analysis of development patterns. The findings and new understandings gathered reveal how residents personalize living environments and find self-expression. Additionally, insights emerged on the architectural identity of different suburbs, spatial boundaries and land use patterns, cultural/communal identity and diversity, and the evolution of suburbs over time. These discoveries provide a nuanced picture of the dynamics shaping suburban places as transformed by human behaviors and meanings. The position emerging from this evidence is that introducing European-inspired strategies, localized to context, could allow Detroit's suburbs to better support communal social engagement aligned with the region's legacy. The methodological approaches analyze the current state of Detroit's suburbs to ground transformative revitalization strategies in in-depth understandings, aided by a study of successful precedents. Ultimately, the methodology sustains the central thesis by gathering critical knowledge of existing conditions while connecting to alternative models through which more vibrant and connected neighborhoods could emerge. While the thesis presents a compelling vision, it is important to consider potential critiques and opposing viewpoints. One critique could be that the proposed European-inspired strategies may be too radical a change for Detroit's existing suburban contexts, leading residents to resist dramatic shifts from the status quo they are accustomed to. However, the ideas could be gradually introduced in select pilot areas at first while gathering extensive community input to adapt the changes for alignment with local priorities and values. Demonstration projects can also showcase the benefits to residents. Another critique involves the concentration on European precedents, which implies a Euro-centric perspective without adequately incorporating lessons from other global regions wrestling with suburban challenges. However, it is recognized that suburbs worldwide face aligned struggles, with the European focus intended to build on perceived cultural connections to Detroit. Further studies could expand the discourse through a more international lens. In light of these critiques, some concessions and limitations must be acknowledged. Community members may legitimately oppose or criticize European-inspired strategies as too radical because they would represent significant changes to existing suburbia contexts. Hasing in demonstrations at smaller scales with extensive participation could ease transitions. Additionally, directly importing European models risks cultural dissonance without sufficient localization. Adaptation through co-creative visioning with residents is imperative. In terms of study limitations, reliance on European precedents implies a Eurocentric bias lacking perspectives from diverse global suburbs wrestling with automobile dependency and isolation. Incorporating additional reference points through an international lens could enrich the discourse. Furthermore, the political and economic structures perpetuating suburbia cannot be resolved through design alone. Shifting ingrained policies and incentives poses a systemic challenge needing coordinated efforts across disciplines. Finally, engagement methods to date like surveys and interviews have likely overlooked excluded groups in suburbs due to resource and access constraints. Targeted outreach across marginalized populations could reveal overlooked needs. While practical constraints on inclusion exist presently, the intent is to broaden representations. In conclusion, this research into reimagining Detroit's suburbs makes several valuable contributions to the discipline of architecture and design. First, it provides a deeper understanding of the historical, cultural, and social dynamics that have shaped the current suburban landscape, tracing key forces like policy decisions, planning manifestos, infrastructure investments, and demographic shifts. Documenting and contextualizing these complex systemic factors informs potential future interventions. Additionally, the comparative analysis of European and American suburb development patterns underscores alternative models for nurturing community identity and social vitality - offering precedents for enhancing belonging and engagement locally. This research holds valuable implications in demonstrating how the built environment directly informs the prosperity of communal social life. It compels rethinking suburban neighborhoods not as amenity-driven enterprises but as complexes enabling meaningful bonds between residents. The international precedents prove quality of life need not be sacrificed for suburban living. Regenerated suburbs focused on connectivity and context offer invaluable roadmaps for sustaining communities long into the future.

Show full item record