In partnership with Connect313 and College for Creative Studies, Design Core’s City of Design Challenge invites participants to develop community tech hubs to improve access and opportunity in Detroit neighborhoods.
The digital divide prevents many Detroiters from participating in an increasingly digital world, and the situation has only gotten worse as COVID-19 has forced schools, libraries, and many other city services online.
This challenge invites teams to develop concepts to deliver public services in a more flexible, innovative, and resident-centered way. Successful concepts will focus on improving the experiences of residents and offer greater access to public services in community spaces.
This program is part of the Detroit City of Design initiative.
The call opens April 1 through May 16.
In partnership with Detroit’s Office of Digital Inclusion, this challenge invites participants to develop community tech hubs that support the needs of residents and foster more engaged and informed communities.
The digital divide prevents many Detroiters from participating in an increasingly digital world, and the situation has only gotten worse as COVID-19 has forced schools, libraries, and many other city services online.
This challenge invites teams to develop concepts to deliver public services to residents in a more flexible, innovative, and user-centered way, improving the experience in spaces where people access these services in their communities and expanding their reach through accessible digital experiences.
Selected participants will develop their concepts over the summer with funding, resources and community input before debuting virtual models during Digital Inclusion Week in October 2021. A smaller group of participants will receive additional funds to test their concept and document the process, showcasing results the following year during Detroit Month of Design and the Cumulus Conference in Fall 2022.
Are you passionate about civic tech and community engagement? Design Core is seeking virtual “guest speakers” to make short videos sharing their knowledge, experience, and perspectives on how to reimagine access to public services in neighborhoods. The videos will be shared as part of the open source database of information for the 2021 City of Design Challenge.
If you’re looking for collaborators, create a profile through the link below.
We want to hear from residents of Detroit, Highland Park, and Hamtramck! Tell us about your needs, desires, concerns, and ideas for what you envision for a tech hub in your community. Simply record a video of yourself (or ask someone in your household for help) sharing your thoughts and email it to us at competitions@designcore.org. Videos should be 2 minutes max. and include your first name and your city.
We’ll share the video on our website throughout the open call to help inform the conversation through the perspective of residents.