Meet Kiana Wenzell | Co-Director of Design Core Detroit

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kiana Wenzell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kiana, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
A lot of people might not know that Detroit is the only city in the United States with a UNESCO City of Design designation showcasing the creative merit that landmarks our city as a global leader in innovation and design. Design Core Detroit has stewarded this designation since 2015, just five years after we formed our organization. Next year we will celebrate 15 years of contributing to the amazing story of Detroit as a unique hub for manufacturing, innovator and collaborator in art, design and tech industries.

What should our readers know about your business?
Inclusion is the anchor of my practice. I developed this as the focus of my practice after a decade working as an interior designer and several years at the non-profit Community Arts Partnership (CAP). The work I do at Design Core has given me the opportunity to expand this core value of my practice.

In regards to my professional life and career, I studied architecture in high school which exposed me to design at an early age. In high school, I worked at the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, as well as, a docent at the Detroit Institute of Arts which strengthened my ability in storytelling design education. Post undergrad, I had a series of positions at creative firms of various types and also hosted events during the Detroit Month of Design. I joined the Design Core team in 2016.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would definitely invite them for a visit during the month of September when Design Core Detroit hosts Month of Design, a month-long series of activities throughout the city of Detroit. We would start our weekend on Thursday evening at Eastern Market After Dark. Over the weekend we would sip coffee and enjoy breakfast at The Congregation before a tour through Michigan Central and local galleries like PASC, I.M. Weiss and Playground Detroit. We would then choose an immersive design experience and fashion show, followed by dinner at El Barzon or IMA Izakaya.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to shout out to the over 250 artists featured in our annual Month of Design Festival and their contributions to designing a better future. This year’s programming lineup includes over 90 design-focused activities and events featuring local breakthroughs in fashion, fine art and craft, tech and mobility innovation, urban agriculture, sustainability, architecture and urban development.

Website: https://www.designcore.org/ and https://www.detroitmonthofdesign.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designcoredet

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/detroit-creative-corridor-center-dc3-/

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/designcoredet/

Image Credits
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