THE CORKTOWN
CORE SAMPLE
CRITICAL PRACTICE
with AUSTIN+MERGOLD LLC
Critical Practice is an LTU graduate studio focused on working with in-the-field practitioners on unique concepts relating to architecture. This studio focused in on a specific reaction to history and materials relating to reuse and urban planning.
Spolia- (Latin, 'spoils'), parts of earlier buildings recycled and used in later structures.
The Romans would re-purpose all sorts of materials from decorative sculpture to mundane bricks. What does our disused and abandoned history mean to us today? What do we do with the materials and products that are no longer useful in their original context?
Business Spolia
In Detroit's decline the absence of businesses have been felt strongly. Old, walkable main streets have been overrun with vacancy and neglect. Detroit's oldest neighborhood: Corktown, has only begun to resurface as a pedestrian area.
Corktown Built Environment Spolia
BUILT ENVIRONMENT INITIAL MAPPING
Michigan Avenue Main Street through Corktown, Detroit
Corktown is known for its history of Irish immigration, connection to the abandoned Michigan Central Station, site of the old Tiger Stadium, heavy decline, and nowadays; a thriving restaurant scene.
DOWNTOWN
lll
CORKTOWN
NORTH CORKTOWN
MIDTOWN
LAFAYETTE
PARK
SOUTHWEST DETROIT
MIDWEST DETROIT
WEST SIDE INDUSTRIAL
Michigan Avenue Main Street through Corktown, Detroit
North Side Elevations
South Side Elevations
![0610._Built.Environment [Recovered]-04.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/5f082e_8b97bda958954f84a052c706f7601ccc~mv2_d_4602_1201_s_2.jpg/v1/crop/x_389,y_0,w_3699,h_1201/fill/w_979,h_318,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/0610__Built_Environment%20%5BRecovered%5D-04.jpg)
Facade Materiality by Size and Location
Observation of Corktown was punctuated by the divide between currently established regions and areas still under the influence of recent decline. The few up-kept historic blocks are the centers of modern interest and focus on restaurants, cafes, shops and residential above. Incomplete blocks with few historic facades are neglected and separate seemingly pedestrian friendly areas from others. Interviewing James Xavier Slade, an antique shop owner on the wrong side of this divide, gave the research team examples of forces within the neighborhood that seem to support this division. These forces include built public resources, local programming, local recognition, and financial factors
Observed Built Environment Mapping
This mapping revealed several public resources to local business (Greenery, crosswalks, bike lanes, pedestrian paths, and original cobblestone road within the city's domain) as well as other factors such as building presence between blocks.
Expanded Sidewalk Condition Map
Based off of sidewalk age and frequency of replacement in response to observed concrete stamps (Includes plaque calling out the creation of the John C. Lodge Freeway concrete and a stamped bootprint).
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Social Programming Boundaries
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Corktown Recognition (Opinion) Boundaries
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Financial Factor Mapping
![0610._Built.Environment [Recovered]-04.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/5f082e_8b97bda958954f84a052c706f7601ccc~mv2_d_4602_1201_s_2.jpg/v1/crop/x_376,y_106,w_3998,h_498/fill/w_979,h_122,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/0610__Built_Environment%20%5BRecovered%5D-04.jpg)
Abstracted Resource Overlay
Resources are a big factor in whether an area of Detroit gains momentum or not. While grass-roots efforts such as the food scene in Corktown get interest rolling, the resources that flood into rising areas are what decide the future of a neighborhood's business artery. Each of the mappings above show, in some way, the existence of local, city, pedestrian, and financial support for local business.
Each layer of information is tweaked to show a degree (through darker opacity) and an area of effect. All these layers add up to heat-map of resources along Michigan Avenue. The map shows a drop-off at Vernor highway, at the site of the abandoned Central Michigan Train Station. and the end of the popular shops in complete historic facades. The sites beyond are broken up by vacancy and decay, with historic facades scattered throughout.
Abstracted Resource Mapping
The value of the mapping was then used to create a height-map that extruded different volumes; creating a 3D representation of the business support hot-spots.
