Colorful painted tree stumps arranged in a circle for outdoor seating.
This project will work with the City of Detroit on a pilot program called Regenerative Future Detroit (RFD) to implement regenerative nature-based climate solutions in the city’s vacant lands. Photo credit: City of Detroit.

Project Dates: January 2025-April 2026

Client: City of Detroit Office of Sustainability

SEAS Advisor:  Lisa DuRussel, Assistant Professor of Practice, Landscape Architecture

SEAS Students: TBD

About the Client

The City of Detroit Office of Sustainability seeks to launch Regenerative Future Detroit (RFD), a three-year pilot program designed to activate 100 acres of vacant land across Detroit for innovative, community-driven land revitalization and low-impact development projects. This initiative aims to equip grassroots and community-based organizations with the necessary resources to implement regenerative sustainability and nature-based solutions, in addition to fostering equitable environmental governance and preparing the next generation of green career professionals through its workforce development initiative.

Project Objectives

  • Evaluate the current conditions, challenges, opportunities and community context of vacant land parcels. This effort may include: field surveys, plant identification, soil sampling/testing, and other methods. Vision and design what parcels could “become”, in collaboration with community members and organizations. Prepare designs for experimental lot activation, and work with community partners to host two workshops per year.
  • Support content development and graphic design of the “Detroit Greenprint,” a comprehensive guide to regenerative design and environmental practices
  • Design a system of measurement in order to quantify the impacts of RFD activities proposed (carbon offsets, stormwater diversion, habitat restoration etc.)

Additional information about this project, its team members and anticipated deliverables will be available on this webpage in spring 2025.