In partnership with the Eastern Market Corporation and the Detroit Collaborative Design Center, First Container is a prototype replica to demonstrate and test future offerings for the larger Collision Works boutique hotel and community space being constructed just a few blocks away (see last page) in Eastern Market. Both projects use storytelling to foster Creativity, Collaboration, and Connections.
Highly visible on Russell Street outside Shed 5, Collision Pop! is made from two freshly designed shipping containers. One hosts pop-up retail, temporary space for local entrepreneurs to test business ideas. The other serves as a “mini lobby” offering free WiFi, comfortable areas for people to gather and work, and a stage for special programming and public events. It is designed specifically to foster and build community through interactive activities and events. It is our FIRST CONTAINER and will remain on site for six months. Afterwards it will live on as a permanent part of the hotel structure.
**** We Successfully Rasied $41,000 on Kickstarter on April 19th and are currently building the prototype *****
We have a whole website about it at www.firstcontainer.com
We’ve organized our programming and events around six, month-long thematic areas and an ongoing “Welcome to Detroit” series.
Neighborhood & The Local Community: Engage people that live and work in the Eastern Market district and surrounding east side community. Projects would include a weekly “lunch and learn” for area workers to hear stories about and from their fellow market employees and an “oral history project” to document the lives and stories of residents.
Science & Technology: Add dimension to conversations about science and technology not just by profiling interesting local inventions, but the stories behind the inventors. For example we might have stories about how people got inspired to start making things and kids telling kids why they wanted to learn to make things like bikes and robots and electronic music.
Alternative Transportation and sustainability: With construction of the new extension of the Dequindre Cut almost underway, this is a great opportunity to highlight the past, present, and future of Alternative Transportation with stories of bike travels, races, and entrepreneurs like pedi-cabs and food delivery services.
The Arts: This is a great opportunity to showcase a variety of local talent telling stories about their current projects as well as create some new, interactive, story-making activities like young people writing songs about their lives in Detroit and conversations with Detroit’s contemporary artists about why they chose to stay in Detroit.
Sports: Conversations with sports luminaries not just on how they got started, but more personal stories about achieving their personal bests, family life, and what it’s like playing for a Detroit team. This is also an opportunity to amplify local sports movements like exceptionally popular community building Detroit City Futball League and neighbors like the Downtown Boxing Gym Program, recently featured on the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams.
Food and our communities: In the heart of Detroit’s food production and distribution district there are ample opportunities to both educate and entertain people with stories about the history of urban farming, innovative advancements in aquaculture, and the sharing of important stories around food security.
Welcoming Visitors To Detroit: Every year more than 1.1 million people stay in Detroit hotels, and many never get far from their rooms, the convention hall, a sporting event, or concert hall. We will work with local festival and event producers like the Detroit Jazz Festival, the Detroit Design Festival, and the Woodward Dream Cruise to create programs specifically targeted to their out of town visitors. Imagine star bassist and Detroit native Rodney Whitaker talking about his time at Wayne State University or hearing from the man who designed the Dodge Challenger. The programming will invite out-of-towners to both leave and take something from the space under a broad theme of creativity, collaboration, and community building.
VIEW THE FIRST CONTAINER WEBSITE
FIRST CONTAINER: COLLISION POP TEAM & ADVISORS
- Shel Kimen, Founder/CEO Collision Works, Project Lead
- Addie Langford, TechShop: Audience & Program Development
- Brian Mooney, IBG Detroit; Construction
- Ceara O’Leary, Detroit Collaborative Design Center: Community Engagement
- Christina Heximer, Detroit Collaborative Design Center: Community Engagement
- Chris Blauvelt, Patronicity; Crowdfunding
- David Cross, SG Blocks; Engineering and containers
- Dean Storm, Detroit Stories, Spirit of Space; Filmmaker
- Delphia Simmons, Thrive Detroit; Community Engagement
- Donna Jackson, Detroit100 Series & Synergy Detroit; Storytelling & History Project
- Dorothy Trojanowski, Graphic Design
- George Cooper, KOOP AM; Architect of Record
- Helene Kenney, o2 Creative Solutions; Design
- Ivory Williams, Virgil Carr Center; Storytelling
- John Biggar, IBG Detroit, Design & Construction
- Leslie Smith, TechTown; Operations and finance
- Randall Fogelman, Eastern Market Corporation; Planning
- Sara Adkins, University of Michigan, volunteers and rewards
- Shashank Karnik, Consultant, Project Manager
- Virginia Stranard, Detroit Collaborative Design Center: Community Engagement