Who We Are

Brightside is a research & design collective of community stewards, ecological designers, researchers, & storytellers committed to beauty, care, & regeneration. We operate through a networked model of stewardship – locally rooted, distributed across cities, & built on trust. Together, we’re shaping new ways for people and nature to grow in cities. This space will grow over time to highlight the humans behind the work.

Co-Founders

We’re artists, strategists, growers, and dreamers—all rooted in purpose and planting the future together.

Why Brightside

We believe that ecological beauty nurtures well-being. That joy is a kind of resistance. And that stewardship is a quiet, powerful kind of love.

Brightside was born in Detroit because this city knows how to move the world forward, even when the odds are stacked against it. Our roots run deep in creativity, care, and community action. From music to movement, from design to determination, Detroit has always led the way - not without struggle, but with relentless imagination and grit.

Across Detroit and other cities, too many spaces feel fragmented, extractive, or forgotten. But we see something different. We see possibilities. We see land as alive. Design as an invitation. And communities as the heartbeat of transformation and restoration.

At Brightside, we believe:

  • Stewardship is a shared responsibility.

    You don’t need to be an expert to tend to land or community.

  • Nature belongs in cities.

    When nature flourishes in urban spaces, so do we.

  • Joy is a form of power.

    We design for delight and beauty, not just function.

  • Restoration is a collective act.

    When people gather to grow something, transformation happens.

Our Approach

Observe. Co-Design. Grow. Share.

Every Brightside project begins with listening – to land, to people, to place. We blend community insight, ecological knowledge, off-beat thinking, and thoughtful design to shape spaces that are deeply loved and built to last.

At the heart of our approach is Bright Cities – a living, evolving model for transforming urban spaces into biodiverse, beautiful, and connected places. Each element we design solves for both human and ecological needs, supporting beauty, biodiversity, and well-being in tandem. Rooted in accessibility, we prioritize low-cost, high-impact interventions that communities can build, love, and sustain – because small, thoughtful actions, scaled across neighborhoods, can spark citywide change.

Our design principles are:

  • Community-Led

    We co-create with our partners, never for them.

  • Nature-Forward

    We restore urban spaces in ways that support biodiversity and fit urban life. 

  • Culturally Rooted

    We honor the spirit and story of each place.

  • Generative

    We design systems that keep growing beauty, resilience, and care.

  • Beauty Within Reach

    We believe in the power of small – local, low-cost design that scales through collective action.

What Our
Work Delivers

Every Brightside space is a layered, living system – designed to restore, connect, and inspire. Our work blends ecological restoration, community joy, and economic potential into spaces that ripple far beyond the soil.

  • Natureful & Climate-Resilient

    We restore habitats for birds, pollinators, and native species – while strengthening ecological resilience.

  • Aesthetic & Artistic Beauty

    We weave beauty into the urban fabric, creating spaces that are not just functional, but soulful – where art and nature meet design.

  • Well-Being & Joy

    We create places for movement, reflection, and connection; spaces that nourish physical health, mental ease, and community joy.

  • Economic Growth

    Our work excites curiosity, activates underused places, boosts foot traffic and attracts long-term investment in care – supporting local economies and our ecological futures.

Colorful wildflowers blooming along a sidewalk with people walking in the background.

Let’s Grow Something Beautiful Together.

Brightside collaborates with foundations, public agencies, landowners, cultural institutions, and community groups to bring ideas to life.

We work with:

  • Residents and neighborhood associations

  • Churches, schools and local businesses

  • Public agencies and private landowners

  • Universities and research institutions

Whether you're restoring your front lawn, rethinking a vacant lot, or scaling impact citywide, we’d love to build with you