Detroit Named City of the Year 2026 for Design-Led Revitalization

Wallpaper*, a worldwide design magazine and website, has picked Detroit as its City of the Year for 2026. The Motor City added 12,500 people in 2024, based on US census data.

Adrian Madlener wrote that this honor stems from years spent reshaping the city. "This transformation is emblematic of a new wave of revitalisation sweeping the Motor City, one that stems from the first seeds of scrappy urban renewal that began to emerge here a decade or two ago," Madlener wrote for Wallpaper*.

The award spotlights design projects taking shape across the metro area. A complex for arts and performance along the Detroit River will open in 2027. Developers want to turn the Albert Kahn-designed Packard Plant into housing that working families can afford.

Madlener praised how Detroit tackles problems that plague many cities. He thinks other places grappling with similar troubles should study what's happened here.

This recognition from Wallpaper* joins other travel honors the metro area has received. Last year, The New York Times ranked Detroit among the top 52 places in the world to visit. Travel + Leisure also named it one of 50 best places to travel, citing "big city thrills" as a draw for visitors. These awards show the success of efforts to keep residents and attract newcomers. 

The Wallpaper* designation is part of the magazine's yearly design awards. The publication covers architecture, art, and urban planning in cities worldwide.