ABSTRACT
Allegra Pitera describes several first-year architecture design projects by discussing the concept of Save-As Detroit, explaining that when working digitally one has the option of saving a version of a project without writing over a previous version. The chapter advocates less of an emphasis on saving Detroit in favor of re-visioning and celebrating the city through a save-as lens. By combining the best aspects of what is with a strategy of what could be begins to merge modern urban planning strategies with the strengths of the existing foundation and enhance the quality of life for Detroiters and the surrounding communities using personal narratives. The chapter describes a storytelling approach to design education that underscores with students the significance of a multifaceted but systematic language within design education as both a visual and written communication system. Utilizing a broad definition of design-as-a-language, the chapter describes a series of design process projects intended to teach students how to tell a story through a set of visual elements, design principles, and narrative strategies.
