Thesis Help: Packard Plant

Hello everyone,

My name is Viktoria, currently I am an architecture student at Cornell University working on my Bachelor's thesis. I find Detroit to be one of a kind, essentially a city that is temporal, constantly evolving, abundant with opportunities and interesting encounters. Indeed it is a post-industrial city, but I am critical of all the negative media these days that only focuses on the city's blight and crimes. I'm not particularly interested in projects that call for the return to Fordist properity and production, but I'm looking at ways of re-using post-industrial lanscapes while exploring and showcasing a positive aesthetics to industrial ruins.

I have chosen the Packard Plant as the site of my project development, I am proposing types of industrial re-use that will allow for reoccupation of the abandoned property with a series of classrooms, gallery spaces, artist studios/dormitories, and open landscape/farming areas. I would like to design the project in a way that salvages the memory of the original functions of the factories, as well.

I apologize if this has already been discussed here, and I realize it's a lot to ask of strangers, and I would really appreciate any honest comment/feedback regarding any part of the project, or if there's anything that I could should include in the design.

And, I was wondering if anybody happens to have floor plans, sections/elevations of the building? Or any information regarding what each part of the building was used for in terms of production? Something like the plans and diagrams in this thread: http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...-Line-Question, but with higher resolution so the text is readable? I called the Albert Kahn office, and apparently they only have drawings of 3 of the buildings in the entire complex in the UMich library, and the rest of them are scattered and disorganized. Please let me know if anyone is willing to share documents, drawings, or just down to talk about the city.

Thank you!

Well, the Detroit Public Library's main branch has extensive fire insurance maps that can show the lay of the complex as it was built out. Happy hunting.

Aww, I kinda like Fordism even though it something like 40 or 50 AF[[after Ford) here.

My apologies for being the one to break this to you but Packard Plant fate or rebirth will be decided one way or another within the next 60 to 90 days.The fate part being in the next couple of days.

You might want to choose another subject.

Thanks for sharing the information guys!

Richard, may I ask you to elaborate? I haven't been able to find anything online as to what will happen to the plant, I feel a little out of the loop and it's nice to hear from someone who is very familiar with the city. There's been proposals to demolish/rehibilitate, but has there been any decisive actions planned in the future?

By the way, this is a very theoretical project for school and it is only meant to exist as a thesis. I would probably stick it to even if it's completely torn down by next week. It's such an extensive and beautiful complex, it would be a good example to study and re-appropriate to future cases of industrial re-use.

What is the question that your thesis seeks to answer?

Link to an older Packard Plat post that might be of some help. A small image of the Sanborn map that you'd probably want. http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...o.-10-Question

There is a guy that has a little about shop next the the plant. He knows a lot about its history. he also runs that packard project. http://www.mycampage.com/packardproject

also i think donna terek from the detroit news is doing a story about this place as well as the guys from the freep

may be a bit out of your way, but you should head to the university of detroit library on the mcnichols campus. several u of d architecture students spend their masters project focusing in an around the packard plant. every student thesis is published, bound, and stored in the library...i miss all the sleepless nights and sunrises on campus...good luck

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Richard

My apologies for being the one to break this to you but Packard Plant fate or rebirth will be decided one way or another within the next 60 to 90 days.The fate part being in the next couple of days.

You might want to choose another subject.

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Richard: Don't be a tease. Let us know what you know.

Sorry Carey ,its down to self interest [[greed) or doing the right thing for the community ,and another couple of sleepless nights for me,I will promise that the second the decision is made it will be passed on as the members here have been extremely helpful and if it is decided that it moves forward they can be proud that they played an important role in making that happen.

How's that for a tease : )

@ vikortia : They will not give you the info over the phone you have to do the search and go pull the drawers all of Khans blueprints are there, its just time consuming with many different tags. They were produced on linen.

http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/f/find...;byte=63049579

Hello Viktoria:

Obtain a copy of the publication from the Packard Automobile Club mentioned in this thread
http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...-Line-Question