Now many people are forming opinions on what is wrong with Detroit, and what ought to be
done with it, but I offer a somewhat novel suggestion; maybe it is just as it should be. Maybe
nothing is ever really broken, just in different stages of use over the course of their lifetime. In
engineering, we talk about life cycle analysis, cradle to cradle, and the full impact of an object
from the time of it’s manufacture to it’s end of use phase. A few architects have tackled the
issue of the life cycle of a city, and treated it like a living biome, the most notable of these being
Jacques Fresco, whose work I highly recommend to all steampunk and design enthusiasts. He
and other champions of modern design took it’s philosophy to heart, and insisted that good
design will be the salvation of mankind; but I would make one adjustment to this statement:
Re-Design will be the salvation of mankind.
The waste products accumulated in the wake of the industrial age are a real and pressing threat
to our continued life on earth, and while many avant garde designers have crisp and elegant
solutions utilizing the latest and greatest polymers and alloys, ultimately the victory over our
own excesses will be won by the scavengers who neutralize waste while fulfilling human
demands, providing creative and meaningful labor opportunities, and replacing repetitive grind
tasks with machines.
That being said, I am proud to introduce the collective group of artists, characters, engineers,
business tycoons, and dreamers that make up the steampunk community of Metro Detroit as
the Rivet Fleet of the United Armada. I had the unique blessing in school of working with a very
inspirational sculpture teacher, who emphasized the concept of ‘joinery’, and how things are
put together. Once you are made aware of something like that, and instructed to watch for it,
it’s amazing how relevant it becomes in life and how it stands out. Thus the method that to me
most embodies Detroit work ethic and community is riveting. The seams are visible, the joint is
obvious to the point of being decorative and we wear our bonds proudly. Our region is home
to the Motor City, the Arsenal of Democracy, and the Birthplace of the Assembly Line. We were
the cornerstone of the Industrial Revolution in America, and we continue to carry on that
tradition via steampunk.
It’s philosophies and principles are swiftly becoming an economic driving force in their own
right, and encourage individual potential, entrepreneurship, and community involvement. In
this spirit, I pledge to continue hosting steampunk tradeshows throughout the year, and fashion
this quarterly publication to provide opportunities for the fleet. I want to thank everyone who
has supported and inspired me in doing this, they say the future belongs to the brave and you
are the most courageous lot I’ve ever met!