our mission
The Detroit Collaborative Design Center (DCDC) is a multidisciplinary, nonprofit design center based in the University of Detroit Mercy’s School of Architecture and Community Development (SACD). DCDC exists to bring high-quality and community-engaged design to all neighborhoods in Detroit. We do this by engaging, educating and promoting equity in design processes and outcomes.
services
We work with community partners citywide on a range of projects at different scales, prioritizing participation in the planning and design process with the belief that local expertise leads to the best ideas.
Infrastructure Strategy
Community Engagement + Capacity Building
Our services include:
Architectural Design
Landscape Design
Urban Design + Neighborhood Planning
DCDC is a program of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture and Community Development. We have a year-round full-time professional staff with a range of experiences and training. We are also joined by 2-4 student designers every semester who learn the practice of community-engaged design by working alongside our staff and partners. DCDC has an office on campus in the School of Architecture, as well as an off-campus location at Neighborhood HomeBase on McNichols Road, which opened in 2019 and is shared with the Live6 Alliance and hosts a range of community programs.
our values
• Meaningful, authentic engagement that celebrates local expertise
• Equitable spaces and sustainable solutions that prioritize quality design and access for everyone
• Collaboration built upon partnerships and relationships
• Celebrate histories, local culture, and stories of staff and partners
• Educating designers and supporting diversity in design professions
• Local capacity building
• Public interest design research and knowledge sharing
• Professional development and growth opportunities
• Healthy, mindful office culture
• Foster creativity, fun and playfulness
Download our annual reports
Photo Credit: Harry Connolly
our History
In 1993, University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture Dean Stephen Vogel introduced the idea of a design center housed within an academic context. Father Terrence Curry, an architect and full-time faculty member, launched a Neighborhood Design Studio in which students learned the practice of community design by working with neighborhood leaders. The studio evolved into a full-service architectural design center called the Detroit Collaborative Design Center (DCDC).
Dan Pitera joined the School of Architecture Faculty in 1998 and led DCDC as Executive Director from 1999-2019. Under Pitera's leadership, the DCDC diversified its projects, expanded community engagement processes, and developed a national reputation. In 2019, Christina Heximer and Ceara O’Leary became Co-Executive Directors of DCDC, working alongside a stellar staff and inspiring community partners citywide. Over the last 25 years we have worked with nearly 300 partners on almost 200 projects.