Sticking it to Flooding: Urban Acupuncture as a Tool for Alley Improvement Mapping and Stormwater Management

Keywords: Stormwater management, Urban acupuncture, flooding, greenspace
Abstract Type: Poster Abstract

Abstract

Urban Acupuncture (UA) is an urban design practice wherein a city is revitalized through strategically distributed small-scale interventions. These interventions are intended to produce a catalytic effect, spreading throughout the city as a whole. This project applies a framework of UA to stormwater management in the city of Detroit, Michigan by utilizing its network of unused and dilapidated alleys. The goal of this project is to create an Alley Improvement Map (AIM) by using the data inputs of Flood Factor (FF) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The AIM can be used to (1) mitigate flooding in Detroit and (2) create a network of publicly accessible greenspace for residents.

The AIM is intended to create targeted, sustainable improvements in Detroit which will ripple out on a larger-scale. It is a framework designed to enable stewardship at multiple levels, where residents, neighborhoods and local government can improve the network of alleys that form the larger urban fabric of Detroit. The AIM was created by: 1. Mapping public alleys in Detroit. 2. Using NDVI to determine where most and least vegetated alleys are located 3. Using FF data to determine flood prone alleys best suited for stormwater management like rain gardens and barrels.