Winter in Detroit
A series of site activations bringing holiday spirit to downtown Detroit.
Michelle Gerard
Overview
Quicken Loans, the Gilbert Family Foundation, and Bedrock Detroit first partnered with Groundswell in 2016 to transform unused public spaces in downtown Detroit into vibrant winter activations. Since then, these festive transformations have become a cherished annual tradition.
Now an annual tradition, these festive spaces—Spirit Plaza, The Esplanade, Campus Martius, Cadillac Square, and Capitol Park—feature gaming domes, artistic lighting, beer gardens, pop-up restaurants, and lounge areas.
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A highlight of the activations is the Detroit Holiday Village, an outdoor marketplace featuring local, female-owned, and minority-owned businesses. Custom-designed and fabricated modular retail huts serve as the centerpiece, offering a flexible, reconfigurable platform for vendors. Designed for year-over-year deployment, these units are adaptable for various uses beyond the holiday market, including co-working spaces, small business incubators, and seasonal pop-ups. Cadillac Lodge, another signature activation, provides a warm, family-friendly gathering space, reinforcing the Gilbert Family Foundation’s commitment to inclusive public spaces in downtown Detroit.
Accolades
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Groundswell Design Group is a placemaking and interior design firm specializing in creating innovative spaces that deliver memorable experiences, elevated aesthetics, and unique activations that surpass expectations.