Automotive design is central to Detroit's revival

James McLachlan: I'm here on the CDN orange sofa at Car Design Dialogues in Detroit with Donald Osborne, car historian and, can I say, TV personality?

Donald Osbourne: You can, James, that's fine.

JM: We spoke earlier about this notion of an automotive design museum in Detroit, the home of the American automobile. A temple where we can all go and worship these incredible designs.

DO: There absolutely should be. A number of years ago, I was involved in the planning for a project for a new museum here in Detroit, which didn't happen for a variety of reasons. And one of the reasons why I was so excited about being asked to help create this was the fact that Detroit is an amazing place with an astonishing history, but equally an astonishing present. And I think that's one of the things that I find so surprising. When I was doing the research to create this place, it made me realise that there is such an incredible international interest in Detroit.

JM: Yes, the Motor City.

DO: Tourists come from all over the country and all around the world to Detroit, to feel and experience the history of the automotive industry in America. And there isn't a place for them to come to see it all. There are some terrific museums: the Henry Ford is a wonderful sociological museum, Chrysler's collection is now not open, the GM Heritage Collection I believe is only open by special appointment. There's no place to really come and see what the automobile has meant to this country and indeed the world. As part of this project I spent a lot of time at the Museo dell'Automobile in Torino and chatted with the curator there. We thought of some really wonderful ideas we could collaborate on with the museum here in Detroit and with Turin because the two cities have so much in common.

JM: Absolutely, yeah.

DO: The absolute birthplaces of the automobile industry in Italy and in America and places with great history. But the perception among most of the public at large is that they're places with a past and no present and no future. The reality could not be more different, as we've seen here today and at your event in Milano too. There's so much going on here in Detroit.

JM: You can really feel an optimism around Detroit. I wonder if maybe there are people who are a little bit afraid to look too much to the past because there's a complex relationship with the car and Detroit in that it was almost a double-edged sword where it allowed people to flee the city.

DO: Yeah.

JM: Perhaps it just needs to be a little more binary and we say that, on balance, this is a hugely important centre for creativity and design – with a future.

DO: I think what you said is really true. There is a very strong ambivalence towards the automobile industry here in Detroit. Detroit is a major city that suffered a great exodus when most of the population of Detroit moved outside to the suburbs. And frankly, most of the automobile industry is located outside of the city of Detroit. And yet Detroit is also a frame of mind. And Detroit is still the centre – all these other places in all these various suburbs around still refer to themselves as Detroit.

What the automobile industry did for Detroit in terms of building it, it's still doing today. Detroit must embrace its past and celebrate its present and future. Downtown Detroit is more vibrant than it ever has been. It's got some spectacular architecture…

JM: Incredible buildings wherever you look.

DO: It's absolutely amazing. And the people that have really helped to rebuild downtown Detroit have been focused on the fact that what makes a city alive is the residents.

JM: I'm going to quote Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams. If you build it, they will come.

DO: The circumstances are certainly ripe. I think that the concept of a place to celebrate the automobile and everything that it's done for America here in Detroit, where it belongs, would be absolutely brilliant. It would be a wonderful thing to attract new visitors and a place for people to visit… ‘Here, come to downtown Detroit and see the entire history of the car in America.’

JM: Well, I think it's a great idea and I'd love to do some small part to help it move along. Donald, thank you for sharing your thoughts on Detroit and for your excellent moderation skills earlier today.

DO: My pleasure, James. It was an honour to be here and I'm so glad I did.