MUD1 STUDIO
MUD 712 - FALL 2025
Watershed First: Reintegrating Nibi into Ann Arbor's Neighborhoods
STUDENTS

Carolyn Larsen, Minza Shahid


PROFESSOR

Gabriel Cuéllar


This project reimagines residential development in Ann Arbor through the lens of the Huron River Watershed. Focusing on the North Sky neighborhood, it proposes scalable strategies to transform conventional R1 zoning landscapes into water-stewarding communities. By converting turf lawns into infiltration meadows, decentralizing stormwater systems, redesigning streets for walkability, and creating local community nodes, the plan reconnects residents to water while addressing runoff, biodiversity loss, and car dependency. Designed for both retrofits and future development, the project positions watershed stewardship as a framework for zoning reform and neighborhood growth in Ann Arbor’s evolving Comprehensive Plan.