DETROIT, MICHIGAN | Friday, January 27th, 2012 | 5:55 PM | 38 buildings and counting...
Post image for Michigan Architectural Foundation Launches New Website

The Michigan Architectural Foundation has officially launched their new website which is aimed at increasing public appreciation of architecture.  The site contains information on local events, educational resources, scholarship and grant information, and more.

From their website:

The Michigan Architectural Foundation was founded in 1957 by the Michigan Society of Architects (now AIA Michigan) – it is one of the oldest architectural foundations in the United States!  Its mission is “to increase public appreciation of how architecture enriches life.”  And the new website offers all sorts of ways to explore that!

Browse through the online collection of Great Architecture in Michigan to discover the architectural treasures in the state – from train stations to the Grand Hotel on Mackinaw Island.  If you see a photo you like, click to purchase it!   Or, share some architectural treasures that you have found!  The website has an upload link that lets you share photos of your favorite Michigan architectural treasures.

The website contains a huge amount of information –  lecture series offered by local universities, summer camps and educational tools for K – 12 grade, including scholarships for college!

Visit michiganarchitecturalfoundation.org to learn more.

{ 0 comments }

2011 AIA Michigan Design Retreat

in Events

on August 12th, 2011

Post image for 2011 AIA Michigan Design Retreat

The 22nd Annual AIA Michigan Design Retreat will be held on September 16 – 18, 2011 at Camp Hayo-Went-Ha located on Torch Lake.

The following projects are scheduled to be presented:

ArtPrize: the prize within
Cadillac Retail Store Prototype
Grand Rapids Civic Theater,  Renovation, Expansion
Houseal Lavigne Associates
Kennesaw State University Soccer Stadium
Laketown Township Residence
Packard House
Peckham, Inc. Green House
pique
Restoration & Rehabilitation of the William W. Cook Legal Research Library
Trenton South Engine Plant
United Way Detroit Headquarters Relocation
University Presbyterian Church Sanctuary Renovations

You can read more and register via the information flyer.

{ 0 comments }

Post image for Your Chance to see The Turkel House

Visit Detroit’s only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home – The Turkel House.  The Art Deco Society of Detroit is hosting a fundraiser on July 23rd, 2011 at The Turkel House.

The Turkel house was built in 1955 and is Detroit’s only example of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian Automatic style architecture and is the only example of a 2-story Usonian house.  The house is listed on the Michigan Register of Historic Places.

The home was recently restored and this is a great opportunity to get an up close look at the home.

Continue Reading…

{ 0 comments }

Quicken Buys Chase Tower

in New Projects, News

on April 8th, 2011

Post image for Quicken Buys Chase Tower

Quicken Loans has completed their purchase of the Chase Tower and nearby parking deck Two Detroit Center.

This announcement puts them right in the middle of Detroit’s Financial District and will reinforce the already popular Campus Martius area.

Quicken Loans plans to completely remodel the first floor into a pedestrian-friendly retail space.

Continue Reading…

{ 0 comments }

Cobo Hall Renovation Announced

Thumbnail image for Cobo Hall Renovation Announced

Plans were recently unveiled for a $221 million facelift for Cobo Hall. Cobo Hall hasn’t been renovated since the late 1980′s since it was constructed in 1960.  This marks the first major renovation since a regional authority took over control from the City of Detroit in 2009. Construction work will begin in July 2011 and [...]

Continue Reading…

Spirit of Detroit Photographic Competition

Thumbnail image for Spirit of Detroit Photographic Competition

WAN Think Tank and Buro Happold recently held on online photographic competition.  The competition is over but the Facebook page continues to live on for everyone to upload their photos capturing the Spirit of Detroit. Congratulations to the winners, Shawn Lee, Jon DeBoer, and Natasha Lofthouse! View the winning photographs [via worldarchitecturenews.com] Original Competition Article [...]

Continue Reading…

David Whitney Building

This past week another building renovation project was announced:  The David Whitney Building. This architectural gem sits at the north end of Washington Boulevard on the Grand Circus Park.  It was designed by Daniel Burnham and featured an elegant 4-story atrium at its core. The project includes restoration of the original classical ornamentation that was [...]

Continue Reading…

Michigan State Fair

Almost a year ago, I visited the Michigan State Fair for what was to be its last season.  The Michigan State Fair was the longest running in the United States spanning over 160 years, surviving the depression, until budget cuts forced its closure in 2010. I took a few pictures, but nowhere near enough to [...]

Continue Reading…

Yamasaki Associates Closes Doors

Thumbnail image for Yamasaki Associates Closes Doors

In addition to the World Trade Center, Minoru Yamasaki designed several notable local buildings such as One Woodward Avenue (formerly the Michigan Consolidated Gas Company) , several buildings at Wayne State University (including The McGregor Memorial Conference Center), Columbia Center, and the Quo Vadis theater.  The firm continued to operate after Yamasaki died in 1986.

Continue Reading…

Stonelea

Thumbnail image for Stonelea

While in architecture school in the early 90′s, I took a model building (physical models, not rendered images) class as an elective.  The final project was to divide into teams and produce a large-scale architectural model.  There were two projects available at the time, the first was for a well known developer to model a development called Centerpoint Campus located [...]

Continue Reading…