The last time the conference was held in Detroit was May of 2016, right on the heels of being named as UNESCO’s first “City of Design” from the United States. That year, we also were celebrating landmark events including the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act, the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, and the 35th anniversary of the MHPN.

A decade has sped by! We will again be studying Detroit’s preservation activities in our sessions and tours. However, we also will explore the stunning architecture of those neighborhoods and communities located outside the heart of the city. They feel the gravitational pull of Detroit’s design prominence but have developed their own aesthetic and sense of place.

This placemaking conversation can be shared throughout the state because it applies to traditional downtowns and neighborhoods, archaeological resources, vernacular and high-style buildings, and architectural treasures of the recent past. Large Legacy Cities as well as small towns can benefit, as can our fragile shoreline enclaves, agricultural communities, and more. The point of this coming year’s conversation is to recognize that in preserving our historic places, we safeguard something distinctive that can indeed endure.