Fri, Sep 19
|The Siren Hotel
City of Design Talk: Adaptive Reuse as a Catalyst for Sustainable Cities
Moderated by Dezeen, this conversation brings together voices in design, planning, and community development to explore how adaptive reuse can transform underused spaces into vibrant, inclusive, and environments.
Time & Location
Sep 19, 2025, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM
The Siren Hotel, 1509 Broadway St, Detroit, MI 48226, USA
About the event
Detroit’s skyline is more than a visual testament to its past—it’s a living resource for building a sustainable future.
Moderated by Dezeen, the discussion will unpack how adaptive reuse directly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals—particularly in fostering sustainable cities and communities, advancing responsible consumption, and strengthening local economies. From reimagined industrial sites to neighborhood-scale interventions, Detroit’s extraordinary building stock offers opportunities to model innovative, equitable approaches to reuse for cities worldwide. Detroit’s leadership in adaptive reuse is not only preserving its architectural heritage but also positioning the city as a global thought leader in sustainable urban transformation.
Moderator: Ben Dreith, US Editor, Dezeen
Ben Dreith is US editor at Dezeen. He is responsible for Dezeen's architecture, interiors and design coverage in the US and the Americas.
Panelists: Lauren Hood – Institute for AfroUrbanism, Melissa Dittmer – Head of Place, Michigan Central & Simon David – Principal, Office of…
