Blooming Horizons
Detroit / Michigan / USA /American University of Ras Al Khaimah
1768
Our story starts in Detroit, Michigan, in the neighborhood of La Salle Gardens. Across the empty school garden of Thrinkell Elementary School, there lies a hidden gem filled with the lost history of Detroit—St. Agnes Church and school. Its presence is great in the neighborhood; it can’t be missed.
Totally lost due to lack of use, it stares the children of Thrinkell right in the eyes with its haunting presence. This is no place for a child to grow. Our children face the same fate as the children of Agnes; their spaces are lost and overlooked. Before the rise of urbanization, the world was an endless playground through the child’s eyes—a vast, wondrous land with potential for exploration and freedom. However, with a greater introduction of car-centric cities, lack of safety, and the misuse of technology, children are restricted between schools and their homes.
The sound of laughter and play has been replaced with their feet kicking the concrete—children have been abandoned in the sphere of outdoor areas. Simple playgrounds and grey, soulless schoolyards are not sufficient to ignite growth and creativity in a child. Children deserve a place to roam free, explore, and play without worry.
