ACADIA 2026

Conference City: Detroit

Hudson's Site Redevelopment, Detroit

Detroit is a city defined by innovation, production, and reinvention. Known globally as the birthplace of the American automotive industry, Detroit has evolved into a center for creative production, advanced manufacturing, design research, and architectural experimentation. The city’s layered industrial heritage, adaptive reuse culture, and growing design community make it an ideal host location for ACADIA 2026.

About Detroit

Detroit is internationally recognized as a global hub of industrial and product design. The region has served as a birthplace and testing ground for many influential modernist designers including Charles and Ray Eames, Florence Knoll, Eliel and Eero Saarinen, and Minoru Yamasaki. In 2015, Detroit was designated a UNESCO City of Design and continues to host the annual Detroit Month of Design, which celebrates the city’s vibrant and expanding creative ecosystem.

Today, Detroit supports a growing network of design professionals, fabrication specialists, and technology innovators. The city’s strong culture of making, experimentation, and interdisciplinary collaboration closely aligns with ACADIA’s focus on computational design, digital fabrication, and emerging design technologies.

Affleck House

Frank Lloyd Wright

Affleck House Exterior

“The space within becomes the reality of the building.” — Frank Lloyd Wright

The Affleck House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is one of Michigan’s significant examples of Usonian residential architecture.

Owned by Lawrence Technological University and supported by the Donley Fund, the house continues to serve as an educational and cultural resource.

Located in Bloomfield Hills, the Affleck House reflects Wright’s belief in organic architecture and the integration of structure, material, and landscape.

Learn more about the Affleck House

Detroit Architecture

Detroit and its surroundings offer a rich collection of Art Deco landmarks and signature works by architects such as Mies van der Rohe, Minoru Yamasaki, and Philip Johnson. The recently restored Michigan Central Station is emerging as a new cultural hub in Corktown.

Site Locations Map

Additional Sights

Transportation

Detroit Wayne County International Airport (DTW) is a major Delta hub with access to public transportation, ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft, and official taxis. Note that there are two terminals at DTW; the larger Delta terminal is McNamara Terminal, while all other airlines arrive at the smaller North Terminal. The Detroit Air Xpress bus connects the airport to Downtown Detroit with 16 trips daily at $6-8 USD. Public transport options within Detroit include the Detroit People Mover and the QLINE tram.

However, the greater Metro Detroit area is a car-centric metropolis, so it is generally recommended to use ride-sharing services or taxis when traveling outside of central Detroit.

Transportation Routes Map

Suggested Reading