Context. Community. Co-op. Core

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Context. Community. Co-op. Core

Year

2019

Location

Detroit, MI, USA

Instructor

Michael Kennedy Kit Krankel McCullough

Status

Concept

Affiliation

Taubman College University of Michigan

Course

ARCH 572 System Studio

Students

Roberto Corpus Kemper Fagan Ruxin Xie

Tool Box

Sketches, Rhino, Model Making, Adobe Suite

CONTEXT. COMMUNITY. CO-OP. CORE. is a housing project centered on community engagement and neighborhood cohesion across four scales: neighborhood, site, building, and program details. Drawing inspiration from the functionality and pre-engineered systems of agricultural and produce structures, this project embraces low-cost, customizable design. The prefabricated, flexible system facilitates high-design moments, open floor plans, and a crafted yet low-tech aesthetic, aligning with the light-industrial character of Detroit’s Eastern Market. This design combines an economical shell with a detailed, collaborative interior layout, using farmhouse typology as a modern take on the Quonset hut. The project meets the demand for small-scale, multi-family housing that blends with the evolving warehouse district, supporting flexibility and customization to meet diverse community needs. Outdoor spaces are categorized as public, semi-public/semi-private, and private, defining shared and individual areas based on site ownership and community engagement. This approach supports casual, community-driven living for residents within Detroit's light-industrial landscape.