"Empowering Urban Communities Through Design" | Talks at Google

Welcome. Everyone, we are thrilled, here at Google at our talks at Google to welcome, folks. From the Detroit, Denmark, conversation. Our. Amazing panelists, here are going to speak to us a little bit about the, changes. The similarities, in the cities and the opportunity, of design, specifically, around empowering, urban, communities, through design, I'll, let our panelists, introduce themselves and, we'll start with Katherine. Yes, my. Name is Katherine, I'm part of Yaya. Architects, which is a small. Design, studio based in encoding we. Work with planning, architecture and, urban, spaces and. Which. Was talked about before I'm actually original Swiss and grew. Up in Switzerland but came to Denmark some 10 15, years ago, and. Kind of fell in love with the. Way. Architecture. And design, is. Working. And. Yeah. I'm. The general, of Denmark. Yes. Before. That I was, in Paris. As ambassador, and before, that I worked, with Europe. In all kinds. Of ways I'm. Actually. A European. Union, nerd. Who, got a bit depressed. About Europe so that's why I went, over here and now I'm very optimistic about, Europe, so. But. Being in New York and working in, in this great country has has, brought, me so, many, things and one of the things is, to. Work outside New York and, to. Meet somebody, like Kimberly, who, is a rock star everybody. Knows it and to. Have. Relationships. Corporations. With, cities. Countries, are important, but cities, that perhaps the, things that can save us in the end and Denmark. Is a nice, size in, the, way of working, together with huge, American cities. Are important. American cities, like Detroit. I'm. Olga Stella I'm the executive, director of design, core Detroit and we're an advocacy, organization for, the design industries, in Detroit. In the region, we, put on Detroit month of design which is right now all, month of September, there are 55, events, there's something for everyone you, can find it on Detroit month of design.com. I'm. Constantly. Selling in, the month of September. But. We I my, background, is in Community. And Economic Development, I'm I've. Lived in the city for 20 years I've worked, primarily. In the public sector public and nonprofit sector. Since. 1999, here in the city and. And. Just really have. A I've. Seen both you. Know primarily, worked it kind of more and business, attraction and, real estate development, and community development prior. To coming to design core and now I'm on the other side a little trying to figure out how do we help, Detroit. Based businesses, and. Detroiters. Build. A larger, market for, Detroit design not just locally. But a worldwide. Good. Afternoon everyone I'm Kimberly Dragons and I'm with the city of Detroit's planning and he cannot Planning, and Development Department. Been, with the city for three, years and I. Have intersected. With all good just about everybody on the panel, so, it. Feels good to be here, and my focus has been really, thinking about how arts and culture and design can.

Help Drive and, revitalize, our, neighborhoods. In, particular, have, had a, really, sort of special, relationship with Denmark in Copenhagen in, particular, and. Another. Role, that I that, I have I'm, the chair, of Gale Institute, which is yin. Gayle he's really. The. The architect. Of cities for people and that, has been our, strategy. In the. City of Detroit for how we think about space, and making, sure that our public, spaces and, our streets are really, have a human. Centered design and. Are, putting people first and. Everything that we do so have been to, Copenhagen, two, or three times over the last year have, developed, relationships with, folks on the panel and really. Have been Olga's, compliment on. The city side with respect to a design. Strategy. And really thinking, about inclusive. Design for. All Detroiters. And and we'll get into that as, a. Q&A with, that so, some, of you may be asking Detroit. Copenhagen, how do these things what was the commonality, they're, actually a similar size about, 700,000, or so despite. That one, cities, 300 years old Detroit the others a thousand years old but, as both have approached or. Skated. Near, bankruptcy, both have emerged, as these. Centers. For design. And inspiration. Driven through arts and education, and. Specifically, talking about the empowerment, of what. That design can do for the community I think as Kimber was kind of touching on in terms of what's, the role of mobility, what's the role of Education, what's the role of sustainability. And how do we create these spaces that, ultimately become, or, functioning, and productive, and healthy and happy cities so with, that we'll get into some of our questions, we've. Got a few but I would ask the folks in the audience that are here that if you have a burning question because, I know some of your super engine please, hold it we'll get the annual connect we'll go through it I'll be curious to hear that. But what I'd love to kick off with is. Kimberly. You had mentioned. Public, spaces which we, talked a little bit about in the background which is probably my favorite, discussion. In terms of the, role that architecture. Or space plays in the public and bring us together as community. But. How has Detroit. Reimagined. And it repurposed, some of these public spaces like specifically, and. How is that helping revitalize different, centers so well can you give us some examples of that sure or Olga. Yep. So. We're, in a really dynamic time, in the city of Detroit there's, a lot of planning. And design work going on and not just downtown not just in the 7.2 but in our neighborhoods, several. Of you have probably I mean we have we have public, space treasures, like the, waterfront, and Belle, Isle and Dequindre. Cut and, Campus, Martius I mean those are I think the ones that a lot, of people are familiar with but we're, also revitalizing. Public, space. And parks and our neighborhoods, as well and it, really is about getting people out and, interacting. And really feeling comfortable in, public. Space I think that the city, you. Know for decades, folks, were not out in, public space the way that you would see in other cities like Philadelphia or. Washington DC. Or even New York and. It really is about making. Sure that the space is feel inclusive, for like all Detroiters, I think, that when I go out on the waterfront which is one of my favorite public spaces in the city of Detroit it feels, like Detroit and it's representative, of the, of the demographics, of. The city and that's what I really like about the space not, all of our spaces feel. That welcoming, to everyone and that's part of my charge I take. That responsibility very, seriously around. Inclusive. Design and some. Of the new spaces such as spirit Plaza it's actually under construction, right now that. Was a temporary public space right in front of City Hall, that. Was really, promoted. To be the Civic, space where Detroiters, could protest, come, together, picnic. And. Just do large-scale, events and I'm. Happy to see that project, actually moved from temporary. To permanent over. The last two years I'll, let Olga. On some of the other species yeah I mean I think to pick up on, Kimberly's. Comment, about you, know what makes a great space in Detroit great. Is is whether or not it's really it's welcoming and you see that I think historically in a place like Eastern, Market until, recently has seen a lot more investment, it's kind of cleaned. Up some of the frayed edges but. It continues, to really, attract. The diversity, of people or, coming for all kinds of reasons and, I think you, look at a space like Eastern Market and there's something for everyone you don't have to you, don't have to be rich you don't have to be poor you're, you, can come in public transit you can ride your own car you can come in a bicycle on you.

Know There's there's, enough, of a mix there and that continues, to be in this a it's, it's under threat right now due to private development, but. But. The kind, of the public, function, of the space. Both, the city and the nonprofit, organization, and the community really support it and I think it's that is a great, example of where. Protecting. A public space like that and it's and. And, how it welcomes. Detroiters. Of all backgrounds is really. The challenge going forward I, think about a place like Clark Park in southwest, Detroit which, hasn't seen a great amount of investment, in, fact the city abandoned, the park over you, know 25 years ago, almost. 30 years ago and. The community took it over and that community, running. The park the ownership of the park it has is the only outdoor hockey program, in the, city, you. Know with it with the NHL, you, know there's a lot it it is serves as a center point of an extremely diverse immigrant. Community, you. Know and and the. You. Know place, like that actually what it needs is it needs the city's infrastructure, investment. And man, up yeah and it's coming. But. I think it's it's how do you preserve in. A place like that the community, really, took ownership, and. Was able to develop. The, kinds of programming, and spaces that that. Then responded, back to that. Diversity, in the community and I think that's, going to be the challenge is preserving. That. More and more investment, it comes into the city. And. If you can speak to we talked a bit about the. Dane approach to a gala tourism in these spaces and the role of creating, it and I think it's all dimensions that the the city's responsibility to help continue maintain are there any examples you can give us from Copenhagen, where these parks are spaces, you can get off of parks and have been reimagined to. Sort of support that yeah. Thank, you and also thank you for for hosting this conversation. And. It's. Really appreciated. I was, just. Reflecting. About, the same thing when I heard the answers, because, a. Lot, of the problems, we share and. Some we don't so. So. Accessibility. And. To. Be able to. Make. Sure that the public has. Ownership. Is. Rarely. The, problem, in Denmark, there, is a given, and you can. Privatize. Some. But. But. Definitely. Not, something. Like a waterfront. Or, even. Access, to, beaches or. Or. Parks. So in that way we are very different, and. Another. Example and, you know that when you have traveled to Europe and perhaps especially to northern Europe that, that. That. Pedestrians. Have, a huge, space. I'm not even talking about. Cyclists. Will come to them but, but before cyclists. Pedestrians. Owned. The, streets and still, do and in, many cities, in, our or places, even in. America. You don't have that and and, you feel that the city is not only yours you, need to, have a car, and, understood. Is you need to have the money for a car to really, to have access, to to, the, public, life there and and, there there is a difference, in the way we we, construct, societies. And cities. This. Is what we start to go off-script, because you just hit on my favorite topic in Detroit which is around transportation, right and the implications. Of. Transportation. And things like this expressway, that cuts off our access to, the Fox Theater until. Until the bridge was built what. Are some of the challenges that we see in terms, of. Not. Just transportation but other elements that are not factored, into in designing like what are the mistakes that we make when designing for communities and we don't think about like oh if. I put the expressway, there how do people, get to the waterfront, or if, I you know take away the cars and, you know then everyone has to get on the bus or where we lose that excess and I think it's a fascinating topic specifically. For Detroit but it's interesting to hear the Dana the European, point of view as well where it is much more pedestrian, funding yeah and if I can just of, course many much. More relevant answers. From my, friend from Detroit but just. To make sure that that we all know that things are not Saints and. For. Sure not and. Aunt Catherine, knows that much, better than I do even, but but. Sixties. During. The 1960's, and 1970's, we, were just, as if Robert, Moses, was living in, Copenhagen.

Really. Really good at mocking, up the. City. By. Constructing. Through. Ways through. The most beautiful, parts and making the city not, work so. It's not as if we haven't gone. There and, and what, stopped, us was. What also was the start, of the Danish. Really. Paradigm. Shift into, thinking, about. Environment. And climate was. A wonderful. International Crisis in, 1973. The, oil crisis, and what. Did it do literally. It stopped, us because, and. Gas were were. Were. And not allowed to drive in. John, Sunday saying through. Several. Months and looking. At the cities, and, our communities, in a different, way, woke. Us up hmm. What, does it mean certainly, to, own your own cities, what does it mean that, there is a limit, to growth what, does it mean that you can't take resources, forgiven. And, learn, city, planners, and brilliant, architects, came and and saved the day but, so we were sinners. To. That point Kimberly, on transnational. Point. To you from the city in terms of part. Of the revitalization we, have with these bike lanes right and this is very, tense, discussions. With people that commute in and out of the city but. I think for some of us there's a great debate that this is actually what starting to bring us together and create more of a pedestrian feel, and, get. Us more connected, to the city how how, is the city thinking about further. Bike lines is this a new mode of transportation or public transportation more broadly like getting, beyond the automotive right, right so. You. Know transportation. In Detroit. I mean and I would just say the highways I mean that's just that. Is throughout the US I mean that's just the history of, urbanization. Suburbanization, and, then, you, know kind of going back to what worked before, we. Had this kind of proliferation, of highways and I would say that's where urban planning, is today, in. The u.s. is sort of going back to what. Worked. You. Know in the early 20th. Century before. You had this sort of explosion any Detroit, it's it's taken longer because, it's the Motor City and you know the. DNA of. The. Automobile, and what that means for the city I mean it's part of the DNA and but, I will say that you know in the last. Several. Years there's been a lot of strides to make Detroit multimodal. Bike. Lanes are it's, interesting they're actually controversial, in every city, you. Know it there, are certain things that have become. Kind. Of code for, gentrification. And, like, a changing, City and, graphics, and bike, lanes have kind of got caught up in that I. Will. Say that we, the city has a broader. Transportation. Strategy we're, doing a master, plan for transportation. Currently. We kick that off a couple of weeks ago bike, lanes and obviously, this Detroiters, have always ridden, bikes they've. Always been like I think, the statistic, is 30%, of Detroiters don't own a vehicle mom. So that's pretty high in the Motor City so people, have always been biking but we also have the highest number of bike fatalities. And like those people that, are being killed are actually young. African-american. Men. That's the highest number so we, see bike lanes as a public. Health response. And, not, just. Urban. Transportation, and, mobility but, it's actually saving lives, and. Also. Thinking I mean scooters, are interesting that's, something that every city is dealing with. The. Key is to tie the mobility. And. And provide, access to. Residents. And citizens. That need it and it's. Really about a connected, to city and we think that. Multimodal. Is definitely, the way to go I mean one of the reasons why the city lost the. Amazon bid was around. Was. Around transportation or the lack of a, Mobility, plan and I think that that actually, galvanized. The. Region, to actually rethink, and Olga. Can speak to this better than I can I know that there have been attempts, over, the year several, around. You know creating, a more pedestrian friendly. Multimodal. Detroit, but, it hasn't succeeded in, the legislature, I think you.

Know We're on the cusp of seeing. Political. Support for it certainly. The city supports, it and I, think that it's about choice and when you think about the future you think about Millennials and the generation, after them it's, really about choice, and not. Necessarily, needing, a car and we're really clear and we know that those are the preferences, but. We want to make sure that, Detroiters. Have choice. They're not they're, not that. They're safe and that they're protected, I mean. I would just many. Things like slightly different take I think part of the challenge is, that people. Who've made the transportation, decisions, do, it from their own land so they think about what. Is it that I want and, if they're coming from a place of privilege or, they've grown up in a suburban. Environment. They're used to kind of door to door service in their car they're used to everybody in their life having a car they're, used to maybe, making one, trip a day right, to their office and back and they, take, that framework, and that is the framework that they're using to make decisions, and when we think about the, needs in the city, that. Is not the typical person, who, needs, mobility, in the city, and. That's, that's been part of we've been doing some work with one of Kimberly's, colleagues. Mark, De La Verne is a chief Mobility, officer, in the, mayor's office and he is, as they, work with DDOT and they work to you. Know improve the relationships, with the. Regional. Transit. Options, you, know the the. Discussion, is really there is no typical user, there's. A diversity of people who need Mobile in our city they're people coming in their, native Detroiters, they're people who are going out there are tourists, there are all different kinds of people and, and. There is no typical user, and we, have to throw away this idea of a typical user and then as fundamentally, what inclusive, design is about and so, really.

Working With Mark and, his team, you. Know to work. Not just with industry, but also with community to, start to get to. Start to see other kinds of users as the city develops, and transit options I think that and then that advocacy, there's political change obviously happening, especially in Oakland County right now that, is I think those, kinds of things together will, start to create. A different, set of mobility, options especially because, unlike in Denmark we don't have policy, to support us and so this is really about kind, of individual. You. Know leaders elected, and appointed trying. To drive this. Some of this is about changing, a mindset. Not just about choice about, who is it for, so to do that I think the. Design decisions. For. Inclusivity, actually, fall on on architects, and on designers, and on community, and. I think obviously, inclusivity. And transportation, that's something that would it's, been a good time talking about and will continue to talk about in Detroit I'd, love to ask you Katherine to talk, about a little bit of inclusivity and technology. In developing. A building right and how are we building our, buildings, and our structures and so forth that they, are being equally inclusive, right that we're not designing it Yammer is I'm sure there's something you spend a good deal of time with it and. I. Mean just. To also get, back on what you just said I think because it's really a mix of like a strong, policymaking and then, architects. Planners and their clients, that rethink, on on how you can, imagine. Like the, future and how our cities, can, plan. For that but then at the same time it's also important, that them that, the. Citizens, are, active and have a voice in how to develop that and I think that's also. What has to do with this what, you mentioned with asked, about inclusivity. That. That, we do it in a way that with that kind of empowers, people to like. Take, action, on how we want, to deal with our environmental. Problems and social, problems that face our cities, because. If they are not part of it it's all worthless so. I think yeah. To be do, it in a way that is open enough for many to develop it together and it's like a collective, effort rather. Than like a top-down. Decision. On how to do things specifically, in terms of Technology. Are. There certain. Considerations. That you have to take to make sure that what you're building is inclusive of technology, is that folks enter. Technology, at different points in time right. And. How does that work in terms of programming. The building if you will like you. Yeah. As. I really. Of course I think that like in the. Technological. Developments, right now in automation, and digitalization. Create. Like great. Opportunities. And but. It's also important, to kind of you know in. A way that where they actually make our surroundings, better, so for example if you take the car as an example I mean it could be that there's gonna be like suddenly many, more cars touching, our cities and using. Space and so, it's important that we like, combine it with a strategy, on ok how should we use, that Automator can move, with it so. It's not just like, cars, without people driving around but that we actually can use this like physical, object to have more people traveling, and I, think that's important, that you always think like an. Organization. Together, with actual to actually sign of the physical space so, you don't just go, all in on kind of like a, implementing. For, like. Yeah. The demands, that may be. Producer. Officer and technology can assess but like that we actually see try to think ok where do we want to go how that's our kind, of future, city life what would how, would we like, to live what is open it in the future and how, can we use technology to implement it so, we kind of kind, of first decide and then we provide and we don't like it provide, a lot and, that being thoughtful about what you want that future city life to be and not to August, point of taking it from one lens or point of view right making sure that that is inclusive because yeah with the autonomous vehicle it could be Robert Moses 2.0.

And, We don't do that quite right. Fascinating. Fessing I think one other piece which. Is really near and dear to this office here in Detroit as we've focused a lot in education and, the role that technology can play in empowering, education and kind of next generation, of Googlers in the next generation, what, role does, education play, in urban, renewal and building in that consideration, we talk about transportation we talk about buildings like what's, the role of education that you all see playing in this. The. Work that we've been doing with. Design. Businesses, and really thinking about how do we position Detroit. Is a source, of. Globally. As a source, of creative talent I mean, really, the design industries, are not very, diverse they're, doing better in terms of gender definitely. Not where they need to be in terms of a race, and. Ethnicity. And that, did you know when we think about Detroit, and our strengths it is the diversity, diversity of, that communities, who are here so we, have a coalition, of 55. Organizations. Business, and in community, that, are, working to develop, Detroit, as a center for inclusive design, and a, big, group of them I probably 15 almost 20 are all working around youth development, and in this education, space because. The the, creative talent that is innate. In our and our kids, you. Know these these young Detroiters, are the, judges generation, of next next, designer so it can create you, know the the, AI, that's not. Racist, right that can you know program, the autonomous, vehicle, in a way that maybe is going to take. In a different set of considerations, and just one one, great example there's. A group of views. That, are work they're part of their bright more woodworkers. Program. In in, Northwest, Detroit and, they, develop because they were so inspired by and. Horrified, by the Flint, water crisis, they, developed, a water. Purification. System, both, to, create and there's you know a water crisis in Detroit as well many. People in the city don't mean because of poverty, and other reasons and water shutoffs don't have access to water so. They created a water purification, system. Through. The program, who takes you taking that that purification. System to Africa, in. And. That's you know this is not they're not trained designers they're not engineers, they're, a bunch of kids in an after-school program and, that, is just the kind of of creativity. That is innate, in these kids and when you start to think about how, do we connect the dots between, the education, they're receiving every. Day the, career options, starting, to help them you know see, what those opportunities are helping, their, caregivers, see those opportunities, you know that that's how we're gonna start to maybe, break down some of the silos in what role if any does. Urban. Planning considerations take, into account for education how do how do we create those spaces that encourage, that sort of thinking and that expansive, like.

Really. Answer, that me but right now I think the. Biggest. Problems, that we have in Detroit is because. Of the bankruptcy. And, that. The. Crisis. In our public schools that really is a result of lack, of state support, we've. Shut down schools. In neighborhoods but, there's no more basically. There's no such thing as like your neighborhood school I mean you kind of have it but not really, so everybody, is driving all over and you couple, that with the lack of mobility options, you've, got parents. Or caregivers who, are trying to get their kids to school taking, two sets of buses commuting. Two hours and just to get to school in the city so, that, to me that's where urban planning can come in is we need neighborhood schools again and. Quality, schools and every neighborhood in Detroit. Completely. Development. But I think you, know there should be. Against. Greater intentionality, with the Planning, Department and, in the school, system the, city that I'm I come from Washington DC, the, schools were. Were. Under, mayoral, control so, that that, allowed for, greater. Integration. And cross-fertilization with urban. Planning, we, did a lot of the planning and we did think through like population. Projections, I'm talking about when I was in DC we, just we had a closer relationship. With the, school system, I'm not saying that, you. Know I think I think the relationship with the city in the school is really good but, it's just. You. Know there's just a lot of priorities and, what. I will say with respect to urban planning and education, and design our. Office, has really taken it upon, ourselves to, really, think about the, next generation and to really think about exposure, to. Careers, and urban. Planning and design at. An early age and we, do try to engage youth when, we do our neighborhood, planning frameworks. There's. Usually a youth, outreach. Component. We. Are driving, actually, a youth centered, neighborhood. Plan. The coney rouge warned ail neighborhood, right, now and that. Is really we've. Learned so many amazing, lessons, on through that planning, process this, is something that's being funded by foundations. In, the area that, really that. That neighborhood, those. Neighborhoods, actually at the highest concentration. Of youth in the city and so. There. Was an opportunity there, when, we were thinking about a, neighborhood, framework, plan to, really, engage youth, in a very meaningful, way and they are actually driving. The plan like there's a Youth Council we've. Worked with them over the series, of the last three to four months where they're actually they're the ones up in front of their. Parents. And residents talking, about the neighborhood plan I think it's it's like a plan, like. No other that I'm aware of you. Know certainly, in the city and maybe even the country in terms of you, know what we're doing I, think it's going to be a national model for how.

We Engage, youth, in this process, because there, is such. Ownership. By. The. The youth that are living there and, a commitment, and, we were really proud of the work we're gonna be highlighting, it tomorrow, this. Conversation. The Denmark or, Detroit, Denmark conversations. We're doing a panel conversation tomorrow, at, 1001. Woodward Avenue as part of design month and as, part of Detroit design 139, where we're going to be highlighting this. Project, so I encourage you all to come out and. Learn from the project manager, as. Well as we're, gonna have three amazing Danish, speakers. As well at, that event so thank. You so, it sounds good. It's, just a short thing like and from a designer's perspective I think it's important, that these. Spaces that, are designed for schools and and, and so on and for kids and the youth like. Encouraged, like, to learn through play and, to. Kind of yeah. To make your experiences, and your reflections in. A playful way and that in. Also encourage creativity, that, you have spaces you you wish for exploring, and you get richer and that's both open spaces, school buildings and so on I think that's, fair, architecture, that can kind of support. Them yeah I'm hearing a similar theme to transportation. Behind. Education as we have to go back to to, probably maybe where we started and start to rethink these things in this idea of having access to a school, nearby and minimizing. Barriers to education, which yes. Technology, can probably help to some degree but there's probably some physical, learners, that we need to remove ie not taking to buses is there anything we can learn and from the great city of Copenhagen, I. Know, this has been a priority. For you all in terms of the gala, Terry and access to education and, yes, I think. As. Always. What. I was thinking, about when when listening was, that, that. Denmark. Being, a. Very. Very, digitalized. Country, if not the most digitalized. Many, syllables in that word. In. Europe. The. Challenges. We, are. Trying. To, grapple, with for the moment is exactly, what what, Katherine. Is saying is how, can we. Also. Have. Attack. Of education which is already, merged so so we don't need. To do that but, how can we make sure that that makes the. Next. Generation. More. Curious. More. Innovating. More, critical. Less. Asleep. Less, passive, we. All know the downsides, of of tech. And especially. A young brain, but, how can we make check really work for that because.

Our Planet, is facing so. So, many challenges that we. Need the. Young people, to be able to look at, spaces. Cities. Relations. In a totally, different way and there, I think check, can, play a crucial. Role and that's, really for. Check being. As and. City. Planners as, a. Country. What say climate. Is going to be the, national. Strategy we. Need that kind of ambition, and we need to, change, the, way we are doing things so. You saying a kingdom again we have to go back and redo, I think, that's really the Machoke yeah. One. Of the things I, would, just love to go down the, right we're just gonna lighten it up for a minute just like it. Was. I think that there's, there's. Great challenges ahead of us but I think it's also great accomplishments, that have happened and and. You, and I were talking earlier and Catherine. About these spaces and. The. Idea of access to public spaces that lift your spirits, right you have a visceral response to beaux-arts architecture whether, you hate it or not but there is a response, and that conjures up something and I'd. Love for all of us to think about like what is the one space building place, in, your in your town, country city park what have you that, inspires you and you think that we need to, continue to inspire, the, community but also kind of bring us together right. I'm. Gonna jump in my. Favorites obviously, in Detroit the, Guardian building I don't think you can walk into the Guardian building and not have a connection, to a higher energy and to, all those that kind of came before you it's, also interesting because you see a bunch of other dumb people standing there with you like this right and that's, really human, and we don't have that a lot anymore I'm just kind of coming together those spaces so love, to go on down the lifts will light it up yeah I mean incoming, there's also many of these like all, the buildings like for example the Casper, keeps.

A Chick and the means, Central, Station and the town hall that has, that kind of inspiration but then when. If I'm thinking of something that is like a more recent and. All. That, actually. Get just recently, and the, youth island opened which is a. Old. Sea fortress in front of the hub of Corning that, was given to the scouts and like young, people where. They can develop their. Own like, yeah. Kind, of the island. The activities. And social. Life and so on and it's kind of the attempt I'm deciding, and it's a space they were given, yeah. Which there is a lot of exciting things quest. NDC. Coming, from the hub. About. You to to choose a. Very. Very modest. House that's. Change to. Great. You. Built. For himself it's just outside Copenhagen. But. When you walk, into, it you. See that, it. Has been designed, in, a way so, subtly, that wherever, you are you. Find. Light. And beauty and. And, the. Fact that it's. Modest. The fact that it's small is. Another. Way of saying that we, human, beings shouldn't, always, build cathedrals, or. Cathedrals. Are really, beauty, and, if, we can do something, like this in a small house that everybody if. You organize your society, the right way could, actually have, access to. Then. That's everything Lucien. Where Beauty needs the way I. Just. Come see that house. I'm. Gonna pick the Commons, which is a. Cafe. Laundromat. Community, space on a Tracey side on Mac Avenue, last. Year they won our Commerce Design Awards, they worked with a local, architecture. Firm called Lavo and it's a Mac Mac. Development. Corporation. It's a neighborhood based group and what I love about the Commons is that you know it is, beautiful, right you walk in it's beautiful looks like any kind of coffee shop you would see anywhere, but. It is designed, with so much intentionality, about, bringing. It's at the crossroads, of some, very different neighborhoods, at the Indian village a neighborhood, neighborhood. So northwest village neighborhoods. To the east and. It's a place where everybody feels comfortable, you can come do, your laundry there if you need to you can come by a cappuccino. If you - you can work, all day I'm in their co-working, space you, can drop your kids off for the after-school. Programs they have in the back and hang, out wait for them and, everybody is welcome, and that to me is the kind, of epitome, of what we need to be striving for as we, invest, in Detroit and develop, the city. That's. A great space it's my job. I'm. Actually gonna cheat and I'm gonna give, -, because. I can't control it from over here. So. It's hard to just pick one I think that the two spaces. And buildings that, really sort of inspire, me here, in Detroit one, one it's the Fisher Building it's. It's beautiful architecture. Albert. Kaun you you can really just feel, the. City's history. In that building, and it's, just amazing, and, you, know where it is today you've got some, great local, retail, ground-floor. Retail in the building. You know it's a it's an amazing place to. See a show, but. I just I'm inspired, every time I walked into that building and I think about what Detroit, was I think about its past present, and future all in, that building and that's. Why I'm inspired. And it's, really at the top of my list, another. Building. Is, is is Motown, the Motown, because. It is when, you thought. About you when you talk about it it, hasn't changed I, mean you can go there from the outside, and in the inside and and. Just. Feel, the, magic in the history, of the. Music that endures. To this day but. Actually what I love about it is that it's it's.

It Has not changed and I think that it's it's, this moment in time that really, sort of captured, Detroit, I know there's plans, for a museum expansion. But what, I love about that is that you really do feel. Transported. When you go back when you go into that building you, feel transported about, the greatness the legacy, of. Motown. And you just you, feel you can't. But in that space feel, almost, what it was like to. Be there and so I had, to just. Amazing. Discussion we've covered transportation. Mobility. Inclusion. And I think landing. On this and. I took us there because I wanted to get back to inspiration, and this idea that we. All can be empowered, and inspired via, design and that decision, that we're, making as architects, or as planners yes, it happens but we as kind of citizens have this opportunity to. That. Being said I'd love to I think we've got a few more minutes if we want to open up to a question, or two from the audience or. I have one or two more so. The question that I have is I'm. Super. Excited to, see the. Changes. I'm. A little worried what's, can happen is, like you, know there's going to be. Enormous. Ly friendly. Towards these types, of. I'm. Wondering, do any of you have kind. Of strategies. Towards, making sure that -, winning over hearts and, minds. Because. I think the experience in coding showed to them many. Of these, projects. The father's like a test project, suddenly, like a bridge. One, of the main breaches in the inner city the the, traffic, space was reduced. And and they gave space for public space and then people really took it to them and they started to you know use. The space and the. They come. Up with like ways of using it that's no, plan I ever could have imagined, then so, I think a lot of it is kind of through this kind of testing. And trying, yourself, to finding. Out what kind of a penalty that we want to live we. Actually. Use the space once it's creator made the space yourself, and. Nothing this weekend in Detroit have really, seen super exciting, projects, that are like these small experiments. On how, we work, and live and their. Free. Time in the future in, the city. We've. Been trying to get, to the decision makers, who fundamentally well, you know like, decide, right are we gonna put money towards that why is this important, because a lot of times the idea of, design is you. Know people, don't always take it seriously they think it's the kind of thing you slap on the end they don't realize that it's really the fundamental strategy, that drives the project and I think the question that the way that we've been trying to, talk. About I think can really hit it with bike lanes bike lanes are about safety, fundamentally. It's about making, sure young. Men in Detroit don't get killed trying to get to school or work and when. You when, you talk to. You. Know whether it's business people or, elected. Officials, or whoever it's trying to understand kind, of what is motivating them what would make it relevant, to them and trying, to find that connection so there's a lot of a partner projects, that are our, community partners are working on are really framed in that way like was what problem, in Detroit is are really trying to tackle and how does it do that, and. I would just echo, what, Olga, said around really. Kind. Of the. Win/win and, really, kind of what's speaking to people it's, also doing. A deep level of community, engagement and, you know really sort of stay in the course and you. Know I. Don't know any city that's won, over everyone. Around, you, know an initiative, but I think, that one, when it's built and people, start using it and actually seeing the benefits, I mean that's that's the that's the most I think that's sort of the gateway, drug it's, like just actually using it and kind of seeing okay it's, not it's, not it's something that is relevant, to me and again.

Transportation. Is really connecting. People, to. You, know where they live to where, they work in providing, options. You. Know for them so I think it's the value proposition, and I think it's squarely our, responsibility. To make, that value proposition through. Meaningful. Engagement and, we. Have altered, plans we have changed. What, bike lanes look like through, community, through the community input process, we, have slowed down. Projects. Because the community, was not ready and, so I think we have to listen to the residents first, and foremost but I also think we have to, continually. Be be, willing, to, engage in, conversations. And hard conversations. They're not easy I mean trust me. But. I mean you know being. There showing, up I mean it does, matter, so. And, doing pilot, demonstration. Projects. Where people can see see. Feel and touch what you're talking about is also, really important, to sustainability. And, and. Moving forward. And. If, I can close, this out there. Push. Back is definitely, a known entity in, Denmark, when. We started. Turning. Towards. The. Environmental. Policy. A. Political. Party appeared when, one, one, slogan we. Have to defend, the powerless. Which. Shows, and, I, think that goes for everything, when, you're talking, about discourse. Don't. Make, it a moral, issue don't. Make people who, think and believe and, have. Lives. Well. Because. Of the car bad, people, they're not and. Don't, make. The people, who, are here, tonight. Banished, hipsters. Understand. That change, is, difficult and. Slowly. Slower, than my tempo would like but you have to do it slowly, pragmatically. And respectfully. That's, right otherwise, you, will have enormous, push, back push. Back is inevitable. Thank. You thank, you our panelists, I mean this idea that inclusivity. Isn't, just inclusive for the group of people that you want to agree with should. Be inclusive the HOS is, wonderful, we, can't thank you enough for coming out all of you and we hope everyone will go to, Detroit. Denmark, conversations. Over the next three days three, different conversations, the next tomorrow tomorrow, as, they kick up 5:30. 1001. Woodward Avenue hope. To see you there and thank you all all four, of you for everything you do to make our cities better places and. Ultimately. Communities. Better. As well so thank you and thank you for coming and thank you thank you thank you. You.

2019-10-13 19:10

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