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Among the many things Lawrence Technological University’s College of Architecture and Design (CoAD) must be proud of, its integral and pivotal role in the success of Detroit’s 2024 Month of Design is surely one of them!
Detroit is the only U.S. city to hold the distinction as a UNESCO Design City. This prestige comes to Detroit for “having an established design industry; cultural landscape maintained by design and the built environment (architecture, urban planning, public spaces, monuments, transportation); design schools and design research centers; practicing groups of designers with a continuous activity at a local and national level; experience in hosting fairs, events and exhibits dedicated to design; opportunity for local designers and urban planners to take advantage of local materials and urban/natural conditions; design-driven creative industries such as architecture and interiors, fashion and textiles, jewelry and accessories, interaction design, urban design, sustainable design.” (UNESCO.org)
For two months leading up to the September kickoff of Design Month, CoAD faculty, students, and staff prepared to make a major impact in design, education, and visioning the future.
At 1001 Woodward Avenue in the heart of Downtown Detroit, CoAD designed and constructed an encompassing space for exhibits, lectures, and demonstrations of AI- and roboticsgenerated architecture and design.
CoAD engaged a panel of nationally and internationally renowned designers and architects to consider the future of construction for the built environment. Titled “Constructing Futures” and hosted by Dean Karl Daubmann and Assistant Professor of Architecture Sara Codarin, Ph.D.; Brian Ringley, principal product manager at Boston Dynamics; Rolando Mendoza, design director-associate principal @ Bermello Ajamil & Partners; and Niloufar Emami, assistant professor Illinois School of Architecture, Ph.D. discussed what creative and sustainable building will look like with the aid of technology and new materials.
A relatively new construction material called “mass timber” was the topic of discussion and imagination during a dayand- a-half symposium that was open to students and the public. Ten architectural, design, and construction experts explored the impact of deforestation on building as well as the use and benefits of mass timber, a range of derivative wood products that are manufactured by binding or fixing the strands, particles, fibers, veneers, or boards of wood, together with adhesives to form composite material.
Global architecture and design firm Gensler awarded CoAD a one-time $100,000 philanthropic donation to fund the creation and implementation of interdisciplinary undergraduate courses that equip future design professionals with the skills they need to implement viable sustainable design strategies in their professional practice to be offered in the Fall 2024 semester. The mass timber symposium was made possible by this gift, which was only awarded to one other university. An exhibition of student work was found in the windows of AECOM in Midtown Detroit, as was the creative product design work of LTU students at City Bird at 460 W. Canfield that was first exhibited in Milan, Italy, in May 2024.
Game Jam, a joint competition hosted by the College of Architecture and Design and the College of Arts and Sciences, saw game design and game software development students collaborating to create the winning game.
An academic two-day conference on the future of gaming, Alt+F4, wrapped up Design Month 2024. LTU hosted 20+ academic guests from institutions across the country, and it significantly enhanced LTU’s reputation in the world of game, media, and digital cultural studies.
There were also several events led by CoAD faculty, including Stool School, a stool-building workshop; Art Fair Detroit, a three-day art fair; Inside/Outside, an exhibition of creative objects; and New Homes for a New Detroit, a tour and panel discussion about innovative housing design.
Although not technically held during the Month of Design, CoAD’s annual Distinguished Architecture Alumni Award ceremony was held in the CoAD-designed space at 1001 Woodward for Salvatore (Sam) Moschelli, BArch ’00, MArch ’06.
“CoAD’s multi-faceted involvement in this year’s Month of Design has been exciting and energizing and showcased our commitment to our city, our profession, and to our mission of educating the future generation of designers and architects,” said Dean Karl Daubmann. “My sincere gratitude goes out to our industry partners, my faculty colleagues, the CoAD staff, and everyone who shared the space with us last month.”
Associate Dean Lilian Crum expressed the energy that’s been associated with this year’s Detroit Month of Design. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to demonstrate our research and pedagogy in technological design, educational rigor, and limitless creativity of our faculty and our students. Our partnership with Bedrock and Design Core has been a boon to our design community and reinforces UNESCO’s decision to name Detroit its only U.S. “Design City.”
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