Knoxville Museum of Art will present the work of Detroit’s co-lab*, a cooperative creative team with a common belief that through art, architecture, and design it can excite social awareness and respect for humanity and the planet. co-lab* works for the greater good around the city of Detroit, hoping to create social responsibility. co-lab* seeks to employ local residents and "at risk" individuals who are typically under-employed, underpaid, or otherwise forced to commute long distances for minimum wage jobs. Some of their projects include the Catherine Ferguson Academy House, Detroit Summer House, and The Pretty Garden. The Catherine Ferguson Academy House is a design and construction project done collaboratively between co-lab*, Detroit Summer, and Catherine Ferguson Academy, which is a public school for young women who are pregnant or who have young children. The house also serves as an emergency shelter. The design and construction emphasize ecological and energy efficient solutions and community participation. Other projects by co-lab* include engineering the use of illegally dumped tires (a ecological hazard) as roof shingles, discarded tree stumps from tree removal services as stools, and other eco-friendly
products.

The exhibition will highlight the ongoing projects and proposals created by co-lab*, demonstrating that design, architecture, projects, and products can be created in a holistic and ecologically sound manner that also emphasizes collaboration, community, and respect for one's city.

co-lab*’s work has been featured in several museums including The Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, New York, NY; and the Museum of New Art, Detroit, MI.