Building Better Systems to Support Land Based Projects in Detroit
WITH THE CITY OF DETROIT
Process design to support community land useIn Detroit, land based projects like urban farms, gardens, green infrastructure, and community spaces have long been led by residents who transform vacant lots into neighborhood assets. But the process for purchasing, permitting, and maintaining these projects was often confusing, inconsistent, and hard to access. In 2019, the City of Detroit partnered with community organizations and technical experts, including The Work Department, to make the system clearer, more equitable, and easier to navigate.
Alongside partners, The Work Department helped the City identify where residents were facing roadblocks and visualize how the current process worked. We led the design of large-format journey maps that clearly showed each step in purchasing and permitting a land-based project. In a series of community engagements, growers, green space stewards, and local developers reviewed draft versions of these maps—marking them up, flagging barriers, and recommending changes. Their input directly shaped improvements to how the process works today.
We also led the design for a full set of public-facing materials. This included five printed and downloadable guides that explain zoning, combining parcels, site design, permitting, and maintenance. Using everyday language and step-by-step visuals, we designed each guide to be easy to read, share, and print at home.
COLLABORATORS
Asakura Robinson
Agency Landscape & Planning
Detroit Collaborative Design Center
Detroit Food Policy Council
Keep Growing Detroit
