viticulture unwrapped — Amanda Morales

Viticulture Unwrapped

Detroit’s post-apocolyptic landscape has become an example of life after gentrification and suburbanization. In between the ruins of this once triumphant industrial city a vast expanse of vacant lots culminate in what is now called the urban prairie. In an effort to revive the broken and dispersed community, the studio generated a hackers space + housing program that attempts to address the underlying issues. The viticulture hack space brings creativity, productivity and collaboration across multiple disciplines in attempt attempts to wrap or bandage this social gaping wound of Detroit and the Dequindre Cut area where there once was a thriving community.

Initial concept model : wrapping program application

Through modes of circulation and program

the project can begin to condense what is

now dispersed and broken. Having the site

in a location privy to direct access to both

Eastern Market and the Waterfront allows

for extra opportunities to engage the public,

not only at street level but also at the cut

level below. Hack space hovers both above

and below the parking datum to take full

advantage of both street level and cut level

public access.

The hack-vineyards extend into the housing program by means of outdoor trellises that also act as shading devices from the harsh summer sun. The growing and fermentation process of wine is a skill that can not only be learned and practiced within the hack space itself, but it then can be repeated by the individuals who live in the adjoining housing units.