Urban agriculture as a tool for neighborhood fabric repair in post-industrial Detroit

Abstract

This thesis focuses on Detroit as a post-industrial city that suffers from abandonment, vacancy, and food security issues. I address this problem through the lens of agriculture, asking how urban farming can be used to repair the urban fabric and increase access to food in two Detroit neighborhoods. To this end, I suggest a variety of urban agriculture uses that can be integrated into the life and form of the neighborhoods. I began my work with an investigation of shrinking cities precedents in Leipzig and Youngstown, and urban agriculture precedents in Milwaukee, Havana, and Boston. I arrive at a set of policy and design interventions to encourage and support neighborhood repair and health. Although urban agriculture alone is not adequate to heal the life of Detroit's neighborhoods, this thesis sees the value of these interventions and illuminates the possibilities of a rebuilt Detroit where rural life and urban agriculture play key roles.