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| dc.contributor.author | Alhassoon, Hala | English |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-05-02T17:34:07Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-05-02T17:34:07Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024-05-02 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10429/2565 | |
| dc.description | Flooding is a rising threat that has become a crisis across many countries. Detroit has faced multiple damaging flood events throughout its history; this is particularly due to urban planning mistakes made in the past that no longer co-op with the location (the Great Lakes region, near major waterways such as the Detroit and Rouge Rivers), neither can co-op with the accelerating climate change. These flood events have been causing residents a lot of health distress and economic loss. Therefore, it is urgent to find a flood resolution to protect Detroit's neighborhoods from sinking into contaminated water. Restoring Balance is a Flood Resiliency Plan to revive the Detroit community through the integration of green and blue infrastructures. This work is done mainly within a post-positivist framework and contextual framework. Designing for flood resiliency involves landscape design based on flood resistance ecological strategies at a regional or communal scale. This type of design consists of green and blue infrastructure strategies for the prevention and mitigation of future flood damages that require a deep understanding of policy adjustments, and urban settlements, in account of the geographic history of the Great Lakes region. Green storm-water infrastructure entails using natural approaches such as high-water absorbent plants for flood management, which helps in delaying and mitigating the accumulation of runoff in impermeable urban spots. Water balance is another key concept for this study. It refers to how nature in its original shape and form existed and maintained natural habitats that sustained water in the soil and the outer environment, how water resources were integrated within this nature before any human intervention and urban development, and how to provide what was provided before in the middle of urban settlements. This plan can be applied through six framing concepts. The first concept is equity. It is urgent to provide an equitable environment for the underserved population, to provide an equitable environment means giving support to neighborhoods or communities that have been affected by an unjust system. To provide equity, we need to understand what it stands for. Glenn Harris, the director of Colorlines, defines equity as applying justice and a little bit of common sense to a system that's been out of balance." Some collaborative design firms believe in equity like DCDC. They believe that all people have the right to well-designed, healthy spaces and neighborhoods. Most environmental injustices in Detroit are linked to the history of racial segregation. As we see in this publication by Abas Shkembi (2022) Redlined neighborhoods in Detroit experience higher environmental hazards, residents of these neighborhoods have a higher risk of developing cancer and adverse respiratory health outcomes from industrial pollution. Whereas a study was conducted by Wayne State University called “Household Flooding in Detroit A Snapshot of Citywide Experiences, Implications for Public Health, and Potential Solution” published in 2021, argues that Detroit's combined sewer system is causing polluted floods in basements causing health issues. This calls for a double-sided solution for both types of contamination sewer water + industrial heavy metal. The second concept is the memory of landscape. Going back through time, city planning was influenced by colonialism, these urban plans are the main reason why floods happen mostly in specific areas. Very similar to how first settlers planned the city over indigenous village’s locations, main Streets/ highways were built over indigenous rails, and unsurprisingly, they built over historic creeks and ran sewers in the same directions where most surface floods happen. The connection between the formation of landscape shapes and the history of human activity on it. “The landscape doesn’t really forget, it has a memory, and when it’s time, water will occupy those spots,” Napieralski. These creeks played a vital role in sustaining wildlife within native nature (wetlands and marshes). (Nature Connection and Native Americans or First Nation People, 2022) There is a physical and spiritual importance of water to the Anishnaabe people and their way of life. Water is not only for drinking and irrigating land to grow food, but it is also a primary means of navigation and movement from one place to another. Indigenous names for the place we now call Detroit honor the area’s abundance of water; in Wendat, Karontaen, means “coast of the straits,” and in Iroquoian, Teuchash Grondie translates in English as “the place of many beavers.” Beavers love creeks! For a place to have had many beavers, it must have had many creeks for them to build their dams, find food, and raise their families. (Joanne Coutts, 2024) The Indigenous people had a strong relationship with nature, they believed in land and water stewardship. The lack of native nature cover + and permeable surfaces in urban areas contribute to Detroit's floods. Surface floods in Detroit are mainly caused by mistakes made in history, and these mistakes should be corrected. The third concept is Resiliency; The ability to absorb, recover, and prepare for future shocks (economic, environmental, social & institutional). Resilient cities promote sustainable development, well-being, and inclusive growth. (Dinara Muldabayeva, Tamara Nikolic, 2023) We can achieve flood resiliency through a multi- dimensional infrastructure solution along with the change of policies. Flood resilient design is a construct that stands for a proactive and precautionary approach to increase water resource sustainability while reducing climate change risks (Donald Watson, 2011). The fourth concept is the balance of nature. It’s part of resiliency, and it stands for the interconnected harmonious relationship between different natural cycles, living organisms, and the elements of the Earth, Based on 2 different articles by Nana Firma, and Daniel Simberloff. For example, the Water balance construct is “The amount of water within a regional watershed is balanced in a natural cycle of precipitation, vegetation, evaporation, watercourses, and reservoirs.” Natural systems of vegetation, soils, floodplains, and wetlands provide ecosystem services that maintain water balance and mitigate flooding”. “Water balance and watershed resilience to flooding can be correlated to the percent of porous versus impervious cover.” Evapotranspiration is the greatest component of the annual water balance in most climates in the United States. (Donald Watson, 2011). The fifth concept is Sustainability. Which refers to “the ability to maintain or support a process continuously over time". (Daniel Mollenkamp, 2023). As well as it stands for “the ability of a community to thrive and prosper in an equitable, green city". (city of Detroit, Sustainability Action Agenda) The indigenous people encourage water and land stewardship, they treat nature as a family member to cherish and care for. It is derived from the belief that there needs to be a two-way, reciprocal relationship where mankind looks after nature. Water and land stewardship (Nature Connection and Native Americans or First Nation People, 2022) The sixth concept is community well-being. It stands for the shared rights of social, economic, environmental, cultural, and political conditions identified by individuals and their communities as essential for them to flourish and fulfill their potential. (Wiseman & Brasher, 2008) Some questions evolved during this thesis investigation such as How can blue and green infrastructure intervention achieve a balanced ecology? What type of plants can be farmed in a neighborhood heavily flooded with sewage and heavy metal pollutants in air, water, and soil? How can the restoration of wetlands and water streams contribute to well-being? How can designing for flood resiliency contribute to equity? How can restoring urban wetlands and water streams on vacant lots contribute to a neighborhood's economic subsistence? How does the memory of the landscape inform future flood resiliency design and planning? Inspired by the indigenous tribe’s connection to nature and its maintenance it, this thesis proposes to reconnect natural hydrological systems by redirecting flood runoff to reconstructed marshes, wetlands, and community farms through a series of creeks and ponds. These wetlands will work as a kidney, filtering air, soil, and water pollutants providing an equitable environment for Detroit neighborhoods to live and flourish within their communities. Encouraging land and water stewardship through circular economy. Multiple methods were used to answer these questions and to investigate the causes of floods in Detroit, specifically Boynton neighborhood. Most of the investigation was Mapping historical maps (redlining map, historic creeks map, historic nature, and historic human activity) and comparing them to on-ground perception. This is done through photo collaging images of the most flooded parcels and placing them on their spots in Boynton’s neighborhood map. Mapping layers of information like flood risk and flood factor, topography, building footprint, vacant structures, vacant lots, sewer network, Impervious surfaces, type of soil, green lots, zoning, transportation, and number of occupied houses, to Analyze the site and evaluating the current situation and possible causations of flood in Boynton neighborhood. Interviewing 4 professionals, such As Steve Vogel, Joel Howrani, Joanne Coutts, and Sarah Hoyash. This learning method is a shortcut to resources and inspiration based on different professional experiences. Analyzing numbers and creating graphical Census data. Checking rezoning policies and comparing them to land use, native nature, and restrictions over factories' overflows. This helps to identify the gaps in the policies system that would help us impose a new policy to preserve and restore native nature. Analyzing local and international precedents and data from scientific publications and creating a summary of flood mitigation strategies to be used. Three scales of Design proposals were implemented over the Boynton neighborhood including a macro scale, a micro-scale, and a selected part of the neighborhood. The macro-scale was created by Projecting animation of an imaginary proposal over a 3d model of Boynton’s neighborhood map. This imaginary proposal is inspired by a conducted interview with landscape architect Steve Vogel about the Bloody Run Creek project. This is the visual understanding of concepts, and strategies used in this project based on Steve’s expertise to be implemented in the Boynton neighborhood. The micro-scale visualizes the bridging between 3 parcels and daylighting a creek in the middle of a residential block. And the final proposal of a selected part within the Boynton neighborhood. When first colonial settlers planned the city over indigenous’ villages, and main Streets over indigenous trails. They disrupted native nature by building over historic creeks and marshes and they ran sewers in the same direction where most creeks used to be located, which all contribute to the surface floods that we perceive in Detroit today. These malpractices not only harm nature but also have detrimental effects on human beings. A study conducted by Peter S. Larson in 2021 shows that flood contributes to health risks due to Detroit’s deteriorated combined sewer system. Another study conducted by Abas Shkembi in 2022 indicates that environmental injustices are connected to the history of racial segregation. Most areas that are considered at a high risk of flooding were previously part of or close to the redlined areas according to Detroit’s redlining map. The solution for flooding in Detroit should be implemented primarily in areas that have faced these environmental injustices. Inspired by the sponge city concept implemented in many East Asian cities and the concept of the broadacre city created by Frank Lloyd Wright, this plan offers a big-scale solution where the green and blue infrastructures work together with the gray system in prompt to restore and maintain the balance of nature and community wellbeing. A limitation of this thesis is that the application of natural soil and water remediation strategies is limited to seasonal changes, this requires thinking about a substitute plan in winter seasons. Another limitation is the community maintenance of farmed wetlands. To provide a sustainable solution, each neighborhood’s community should have gardening clubs with planned tasks for each member of the community to sustain community subsistence. meanwhile daylighting creeks in residential areas creates another issue for stakeholders, where part of the process is to retreat people in some areas. This requires the approval of residents to have water streams and ponds near their houses and to be part of a gardening club. In conclusion, this study is much needed to dismantle systematic environmental injustices in Detroit and fix the malpractices of the past, to reflect a flourishing future economically, socially, and environmentally. We are obligated to design healthy environments for all people. The Boynton neighborhood revitalization project proposes a comprehensive approach to rejuvenating the area, focusing on both environmental restoration and community involvement. By restoring wetlands and implementing green stormwater infrastructure, the project aims to enhance sustainability and resilience. Proposed changes to land use policies include rezoning for wetlands and urban farms, alongside creating urban forestry buffers for safety and well-being. Pathways inspired by indigenous navigation prioritize pedestrian-friendly spaces and recreational amenities. Repurposing railroads into greenways further promotes connectivity and outdoor activities. The project also encourages community participation through opportunities in the cut flower industry and farmers markets, fostering economic vitality and local engagement. Overall, the project seeks to create a more livable and environmentally conscious neighborhood through a combination of urban agriculture, flood management, and inclusive planning strategies. | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | Detroit has faced multiple damaging flood events throughout its history, particularly due to urban planning mistakes made in the past. This thesis investigation proposes a combination of infrastructures to reconnect natural hydrological systems by envisioning strategies to redirect flood runoff to reconstructed marshes and wetlands through a series of creeks and ponds, providing an equitable urban environment for residents to live and flourish within their communities. Two projects are referenced in this approach: Bloody Run Creek and Renewing Low-Density projects, both by the Detroit Collaborative Design Center, as well as publications by Abas Shkembi titled "Redlined Neighborhoods in Detroit..." and another publication by Larson et al. titled "Recurrent Home Flooding in Detroit...". This thesis investigation aims to address the intersection of flood resilience and equity in urban environments, posing key inquiries that include the economic potential of restoring urban wetlands and water streams on vacant lots, the implications of rezoning policies for parks and wetlands, and practical approaches to restoring wetlands in residential areas without displacing residents. Additionally, considerations are given to the balance of blue and green infrastructure, water and soil remediation strategies, suitable plant species for flooded and polluted environments, and the integration of various infrastructures to effectively manage water systems. The study delves into the significance of indigenous perspectives on land and nature in future design, and the potential contributions of urban wetland restoration to community well-being alongside recreational opportunities. The study employs a multifaceted approach involving mapping of current and historical data linked to flood causations, site analysis of the Boynton neighborhood, visual ethnography using photos of the site that are compared to mapped data, interviews of professionals, and animated projection of interview findings over a 3D layered map of the Boynton neighborhood, and urban design proposal. Amid the exploration of flood causations and mitigation strategies, some findings arose. It is possible to restore nature’s balance by connecting different natural cycles and harmonious relationships between living organisms and the elements of the Earth. Some inspired green and blue strategies to mitigate floods include using riparian buffers near rivers and water streams, decreasing the size of sewer sectional areas by daylighting creeks, and restoring wetlands that filter air, soil, and water from acid rain and sewer pollutants by using ponds and native vegetation. To dismantle the systematic environmental injustices in Detroit and have a flourishing future from all angles (economically, socially, and environmentally), it is important to fix past mistakes by restoring nature’s balance and maintaining it. In conclusion, flood resiliency is a continuous process that needs to be accomplished on both regional and communal levels. | en_US |
| dc.title | Restoring Balance | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |
