About Detroit Land Laboratory

Detroit Land Laboratory (DLL) is a cultural, ecological, and technological research initiative rooted in Detroit’s landscape of abundance, possibility, and historical complexity. DLL transforms vacant land into living cultural infrastructure, merging art, ecology, urban regeneration, and community stewardship to build a future where Detroit’s land becomes one of its greatest assets.

Through collaborations with the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, Detroit Black Farmers Land Fund, and Detroit’s vibrant network of residents and land stewards, DLL recognizes that Detroit’s 19 square miles of vacant land are not symbols of abandonment—they are the city’s greatest canvas.

Detroit Land Laboratory was established to formalize this vision: an open research studio for land-based innovation, supporting urban farms, gardens, public art interventions, and community-led ecological stewardship across the city.

Through hands-on learning, residents gain experience in:

• Land Education Workshops

• Vacant Land Transformation Blueprint (step-by-step guidance from acquisition to activation)

• Sustainable Landscape Design & Green Infrastructure

• Open Space Visualization & Plot Planning

• Land Conservation & Stewardship Models

By integrating art, ecology, and social design, Detroit Land Lab fosters community health and wellness through creative engagement with the environment.