A MASTER PLAN FOR A DETROIT NEIGHBORHOOD MADE IN DETROIT Adriana Teresa Rios, M.S.Arch Illinois Institute of Technology, May 2014 Adviser: Tom... Show moreA MASTER PLAN FOR A DETROIT NEIGHBORHOOD MADE IN DETROIT Adriana Teresa Rios, M.S.Arch Illinois Institute of Technology, May 2014 Adviser: Tom Brock Co-Adviser: George Schipporeit This thesis was written on behalf of the Sustainable New Cities program for the Illinois Institute of Technology. The goal of this Thesis is to establish a working definition of sustainability and the framework necessary for rebuilding a neighborhood in Detroit. The neighborhood in this Thesis being rebuilt is directly Southwest of Downtown Detroit. For the purpose of this thesis, sustainability is defined materially, socially, environmentally and economically. The plan for this Thesis is accomplished in phases to allow for an appropriately sized and conscientiously executed change. There is a large portion devoted to the history of Detroit and current state of the city; the reason for such an examination is to fully understand the past mistakes and successes throughout the history of Detroit. The systems and infrastructure designed in this Thesis effectively create a walkable thriving community that is diverse in it’s ecology, economy, and demographics. A major component for making this Thesis viable is the design of a Technology Campus that will collaborate with the city, local universities, and various technical companies to educate and train existing and new members of the local population. The second intergral aspect of this design is the light rail that will improve and simplify transportation outside of automobile traffic. Aside from the tangible infrastructure benchmarks, this Thesis also establishes the necessary theory behind a neighborhood that will continue to grow change and thrive. This Thesis has achieved a plan that considers all aspects of reconfiguring a neighborhood with sustainability as the focus. M.S. in Architecture, May 2014 Show less
