Detroit Art Deco

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Welcome to Detroit Art Deco!

This site is a resource for Detroit's Art Deco architecture. Art Deco was a brief but popular style of architecture that represented the wealth and positivity of the early 20th century. It was also the first major break from historic styles, and allowed American architecture in particular to develop a unique style that was free from European tradition and ideally suited for America’s tall cities.

Detroit’s economic prosperity and population boom of the 1920s created the environment in which these buildings would be developed. I hope to further the appreciation and preservation of these buildings, and to provide information about the history and particulars of their style.

History

The evolution of 20th century architecture, up to and including Art Deco.

Beaux-Arts

At the start of the 20th Century, during the “Guilded Age”, Beaux-Arts was the expected style choice for important civic buildings. The style was named for the Ecole Des Beaux Arts in Paris, the premier school of architecture in the world. The school stressed adherence to historic styles such as the Greek, Roman, and Renaissance.

Detroit Public Library.

The Detroit Public Library, designed by Cass Gilbert and opened in 1921, is a great local example of the Beaux Arts style. Photo by Jason Mrachina.

Detroit Institute of Arts.

As is the Detroit Institute of Arts, designed by Paul Cret in 1927. Photo by Girl.in.the.D.

Rising Skylines

With the increasing height of American cities, architects were faced with the challenge of applying Classical architectural styles onto tall buildings. The belief was that classic styles were "human scaled" and too much verticality might be too overwhelming for the pedestrian. But how does one apply a Roman temple or Renaissance villa motif onto a skyscraper? One solution was to stack the styles horizontally in what has been called a "wedding cake" appearance.

Woolworth Building.

New York City's Woolworth Building from 1913, also designed by Cass Gilbert of the Detroit Public Library, successfully implements this look. Photo by Charles Boyle.

, Book Tower.

However the stacked effect could often look awkward and busy as with Detroit's Book Tower of 1926 by Louis Kamper. Photo by Larry Miller.

Renowned Architect Louis Sullivan (Frank Lloyd Wright's mentor) invented an elegant solution: Instead of copying an entire Roman temple from ground to roofline, he copied only a single column. The base would be the first one or two floors, the shaft would be the main rise of the building, and the capital would be the top one or two “penthouse” levels.

Wainwright Building.

Sullivan's solution is represented in his Wainwright Building in St. Louis of 1890. It has a distinctly vertical emphasis, but still with strong horizontal elements at the top and bottom, and a comfortably classical touch. Photo by Tom Bastin.

Flatiron Building.

New York's Flatiron Building of 1902 by the renowned Daniel Burnham is possibly the most famous example of this look. Photo by Jeffrey Zeldman.

Introducing Art Deco

The International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts, from which the term Art Deco derived, was held in Paris in 1925. The designs presented inlcuded everything from furniture to teapots, as well as architecture. But everything had a common streamlined and modern look for the machine age.

Instead of decorative detail, a slick geometric stylization was applied to everything, including representations of the human form. Graphic design in everything from textiles to logos shifted in this direction.

Art Deco products.

The stacked fan shapes on the lower left clock and the stepped vertical rises on the upper right clock are repeating motifs of the Art Deco style.

Twentieth Century Fox logo.

The 20th Century Fox logo, from the 1920s, is distinctly Art Deco.

Oscar statue.

The Oscar statuette is examplary of a powerful, geometric figure. Photo by Shaun Wong.

Metropolis movie still.

The classic German film Metropolis imagined an Art Deco future.

American Vertical

The Art Deco style had already been applied to small commercial buildings by the early 1920s. But a 1922 Chicago Tribune Tower design competition would forever transform skyscrapers. The Chicago Tribune held a prestigious design competition for its new headquarters. The winning design is a very attractive neo-Gothic tower.

But what drew the attention of designers everywhere was the second runner up: Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen's sketch of a radically different, streamlined tower. Instead of worrying about horizontal human scale, Saarinen's tower is unapologetically vertical. And without even a “capital” element to top it off, his tower seems to continue into the sky. The proposed tower's carefully configured geometric setbacks are distinctly Art Deco. The style would come to be called “American Vertical”.

Architects were inspired by the design to create some of the most iconic skyscrapers of the first half of the 20th century, including the examples below.

Elial Saarinen's proposed Chicago Tribune Building.

Saarinen's proposed Chicago Tribune Tower of 1922, unbuilt.

The Empire State Building.

The Empire State Building of 1931 by William F. Lamb. Photo by Jeffrey Zeldman.

The Chrysler Building.

The Chrysler Building of 1929 by William Van Alen. Photo by BKL ART.

The Radiator Building.

The Radiator Building of 1924 by Raymond Hood. Photo by Pavel Ko.

Rockefeller Center.

Rockefeller Center of 1939 by Raymond Hood. Photo by Miguel Vaca.

Famous architects attended a 1930 party dressed as their building. Most recognizable is William Van Alen (fourth from left) due to his iconic Chrysler Building top.

Famous architects attended a 1930 party dressed as their building. Most recognizable is William Van Alen (fourth from left) due to his iconic Chrysler Building top.

Penobscot Building

History

The Penobscot Building was designed by Detroit architect Wirt Rowland and opened in 1928. Its owner, William Murphy, was originally from Maine and the building derives its name and its many Native American design motifs from the Penobscot Native Americans of Maine.

At 47 stories (566 feet) it was the fifth tallest building in the world when it opened, and the tallest building in Michigan for almost fifty years, until the Renaissance Center was completed in 1977.

The building's official name is the Greater Penobscot Building, because it is actually the third Penobscot Building. It replaced the original of 1905, and it is still adjoined to the Second Penobscot building of 1916. The rapid development and replacement of the previous structures shows just how quickly Detroit was growing in the early part of the 20th century.

Design

The Penobscot Building is one of the greatest examples of Art Deco in the world. Although no longer the tallest building downtown, the Penobscot Building still towers over its neighbors with a subtle but powerful dignity. There is an observation deck at the very top which has only recently closed due to inadequate disability access. Standing on that deck on an a clear day one can see the tall buildings of Pontiac 25 miles away.

The Penobscot Building's top.

The Penobscot Building's top. Photo by Larry Miller.

The Penobscot Building lit at night.

The Penobscot Building's dramatic lighting accentuates its setbacks. Photo by Ian Freimuth.

The Penobscot's most definitive features are its meticulously arranged setbacks, a mark of the Art Deco style. The last few years have seen a return of the dramatic lighting that originally graced the top of the building, further accentuating the setbacks.

The Penobscot's street presence is dominant. There is no overlooking the front door to this building. The building's owner, William Murphy, made his fortune through timber. The repeating tubular forms along the upper band around the exterior are meant to represent logs. The zigzags in the lower band are meant to represent the waterways along which the logs were transported. The zigzag form was such a consistent feature in Art Deco that this look is called "Zigzag Deco".

The large arched window originally framed a three floor high bank lobby. It has since been filled in with floors for office space.

The swastika-like forms beneath the windows might raise a few eyebrows, but they are actually ancient Native American symbols which predate the Nazis, as does the building itself.

The Native American motif is presented in highly stylized reliefs, such as this Native American head over the main entrance. The geometric reduction of the human form is very Art Deco.

(Warning: The security staff in this building really do not welcome people coming into the lobby for a look.)

The Penobscot Building's lobby.

The lobby's walls and floor are surfaced with various kinds of marble and granite. Photo by Tudor ApMadoc.

The Penobscot Building's lobby ceiling.

The granite ceiling's setback patterns are reminiscent of the roofline. Their centers are these large, unique lighting fixtures. Photo by Rich Kaszeta.

A hallway off the Penobscot's lobby.

The building's large H-shaped floor plan allows for long ornately decorated hallways at ground level for retail and offices. Photo by Geoff George.

The Penobscot Building's elevator doors.

Notice the elevator doors with the Native American imagery. Photo by ellenm1.

Video

This youtube video features historic film of the Penobscot building under construction in 1927.

Map

This youtube video features historic film of the Penobscot building under construction in 1927.

Guardian Building

History

The Guardian building, completed in 1929, was designed by Detroit architect Wirt Rowland who had designed the comparatively subdued Penobscot Building across the corner the previous year. Its basic layout is meant to represent a cathedral, with one large north tower, a smaller south tower, and a long thin axis in between. It was immediately called the “Cathedral of Finance”.

The building opened as the Union Trust Guardian Building just months before the great stock market crash of 1929. The bank that built and owned the building ceased to exist after struggling along for a couple of years. During World War II the building was the local army headquarters.

For decades the marvelous details inside were covered with cheap renovations and modernizations. In the 1980s the building's owners, MichCon, hired the large multinational architectural firm SmithGroup, the direct descendant of the firm that designed the Guardian, to completely restore the building to its original glory. After MichCon moved out, SmithGroup moved their executive offices into the building's former banking hall.

In 2007 the building was sold to Wayne County, which now uses it as their headquarters. The magnificent main hall is again open to the general public with small specialty stores and cafes replacing the executive offices. Visitors downtown should drop in for a look and a drink.

The top of the Guardian was originally brilliantly lit up. Although the building has been lovingly restored, the dramatic lighting has never been reinstalled.

Design

The Guardian Building must be the world's most exotic skyscraper. Its wild array of vibrant colors and materials bring it close to the line of being over the top (and some might say it crosses it) but it is undoubtedly the most unique building in Detroit. It never fails to amaze visitors. It rises forty floors, at 496 feet, to a striking pinnacle of colorful tiles. Perhaps no other building in Detroit represents the prosperity and exuberance of the Roaring Twenties.

The Guardian's exterior follows the Art Deco emphasis on the vertical. Although the building is supposed to represent a cathedral, there is little historic context in its innovative design. One of the Guardian Building's most unusual features is that it is clad in brick all the way to the top. That is a very unusual choice as it is a labor intensive process. The architect was asked to come up with a unique brick. He chose a striking red/orange brick that is now known around the world as Guardian Brick.

At street level the building is clad in limestone and Detroit's trademark Pewabic Tiles.

The dramatic main entrance features stepped arches, which are also a trademark of the Art Deco style, and are derived from Aztec temples whose excavations had captured the world's imagination in the 1920s.

The Guardian Building's entrance.

The Guardian Building's entrance. Photo by Sarah.

The Guardian Building's entrance.

The Guardian Building's entrance arch. Photo by ellenm1.

The real show is on the inside, where the dazzling main lobby greets surprised visitors. The intense colors were inspired by popular ladies' fashions of the day. The ceiling is composed of Rookwood Pottery tiles.

The dark red marble around the base and stairs comes from a mine in Africa that had closed in the 1890s. The building's developer had noticed it in a European hotel and insisted the mine be reopened and every last bit of the marble be removed for his building. Most of the rest of the lobby is granite and limestone from various states.

The Aztec stepped arch is continued in the ornate elevator lobby. For decades the ceiling here was hidden by cheap drop ceiling tiles which covered air conditioning units. The stained glass windows at the end were completely forgotten until uncovered during the 1980s restoration.

The Guardian Building's lobby.

The Guardian Building's lobby, looking up towards the former Bank Hall. Photo by ryangs.

The Guardian Building's lobby.

The Guardian Building's lobby, looking down from the former Bank Hall entrance. Photo by Detroit Art Deco.

The Guardian Building's elevator lobby.

The Guardian Building's elevator lobby. Photo by Jeff Dunn.

The final spectacle is also the greatest: the massive, long bank hall which spans the length of the building, just beyond the grand stairs from the lobby. After being inaccessible for years as executive offices, the hall is now open to the public.

The Guardian Building's bank hall.

The Guardian Building's bank hall. Notice the stepped arch motif continuing along the ceiling and within the lighting fixtures. Photo by Jeff Dunn.

The Guardian Building's bank hall.

The bank hall in 2019. The space now consists of small shops and cafes. Photo by Detroit Art Deco.

The Guardian Building's bank hall.

The bank hall in 2019. Photo by Detroit Art Deco.

The Guardian Building's mural of Michigan.

At the end of the long hall is this mural of Michigan. Photo by Stephen.

The Guardian Building's banquet hall.

The top floor consists of this ornate and rentable banquet hall. Photo from the Guardian Website.

Video

This youtube video was produced for the Guardian Building by Model D.

Google Map

Fisher Building

History

The Fisher Building is arguably Detroit's finest structure. If it was in New York or Chicago, countless movies would already have been filmed in its magnificent arcade. It is one of the finest examples of Art Deco, or of any kind of architecture, in the world.

Unlike all of Detroit's other prominent tall buildings, the Fisher was not built downtown, but is instead in Midtown which was expected to be the city's next urban center. The building was designed by world renowned and prolific Detroit architect Albert Kahn. Most people are surprised to learn it is only 28 stories tall (428 feet) because its vertical emphasis makes it look so much taller.

It was constructed in 1928, but the concept was never actually completed. The building was originally supposed to be part of a massive complex featuring an eleven floor U-shaped base, with a 28 floor tower at each right angle, and one massive 60 floor tower in the center.

The plan was to complete the rest of it in the early 1930s but the Great Depression put an end to that. What has been built is an L shaped base with one 28 floor tower at the corner. So the existing tower is actually one of the shorter ones in the original plan.

Design

While the Fisher Building's overall style is Art Deco, it is full of many ornate flourishes that recall earlier styles. Mostly these are in the decorations. Its one big criticism is its chateaux-like capped top, which seems to interrupt its otherwise powerful verticality. The unbuilt central tower would not have had a cap at all.

The original cap was clad in gold leaf, but that was replaced with green copper during World War II in fear that the reflection from the gold might make the building too noticable at night for Japanese bombers that might have incredibly made their way to Detroit.

Every carefully detailed feature of the Fisher Building is clad in expensive varieties of marble, granite, and limestone from all over the country and the world. Its entrance alone is a work of art and craftsmanship, and features layered verticality with classical arches.

The Fisher Building's entrance.

The Fisher Building's entrance. Photo by wyliepoon.

The Fisher Building's sculpture.

The Fisher Building's sculptures. Photo by Per Verdonk.

The most striking part of the Fisher Building is its very long, three story arcade that runs the entire length of the L-shaped base. The arcade's decor was designed and applied by renowned Detroit artist Corrado Parducci in carefully selected colors and materials. Colorful domes hover over the arcade's intersections. Once this arcade housed prestigious retailers. Now it is mostly offices and some novelty shops. It has been maintained to its original appearance.

The Fisher Building's arcade.

The Fisher Building's arcade. Photo by Joy VanBuhler.


The Fisher Building's arcade.

The Fisher Building's arcade. Photo by Joy VanBuhler.

The Fisher Building's arcade.

The Fisher Building's arcade. Photo by Dig Downtown Detroit.

The Fisher Theater

The Fisher Building used to contain an exotic movie palace designed to look like a Mayan temple complete with carvings of jungle animals with glowing red eyes. Real parrots were free to roam around the pool in the lobby.

The original Fisher Theater.

The original Fisher Theater lobby. Photo by CharmaineZoe's Marvelous Melange.

The original Fisher Theater.

The original Fisher Theater auditorium. Photo by CharmaineZoe's Marvelous Melange.

In the early 1960s the theater was gutted and replaced with a smaller live performance venue. The new theater, though bland, is still a popular destination for Broadway shows. However its stage is too small for many productions.

Plans were made in 2007 to gut this theater as well and replace it with an even bigger venue, but the Great Recession of 2008 curtailed that, just as the Great Depression of the 1930s diminished the original complex.

Above the new theater's drop celing, where the rafters meet the wall, there is still one corner where fragments of the original Mayan temple remain.

Video

This video was produced by TravelsWithLobo.

Google Map

Rackham Building

History

The Horace H. Rackham Educational Memorial Building was completed in 1941 for the Engineering Society of Detroit. It was designed by the firm of Harley, Ellington and Day.

Ideally situated just south of the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Rackham building is an important part of Midtown. The building is still in great shape and is currently owned and operated by nearby Wayne State University.

This building is often overlooked because it is not a skyscraper, but it is so exemplary of Art Deco and well proportioned that it deserves special attention here.

Design

The Rackham Building is designed in the "Stripped Classic" style of Art Deco, meaning it still retains the classical elements of a temple with columns, but everything has been reinterpreted into modern geometric forms. Notice the emphasis on layered verticality on the doors and windows, the most prominent trademark of Art Deco.

The Rackham Building's entrance.

The Rackham Building's entrance. Photo by Michigan State Historic Preservation Office.

The Rackham Building's entrance.

The Rackham Building's doorway. Photo by Maia C.

The reliefs along the building's top are designed by renowned Detroit sculptor Corrado Parducci. They are idealized human and animal forms presented in the stripped down geometric style of Art Deco figures.

The Rackham Building's sculpture.

Rackham Sculpture. Photo by Maia C.

The Rackham Building's sculpture.

Rackham Sculpture. Photo by Maia C.

The Rackham Building's sculpture.

Rackham Sculpture. Photo by Maia C.

The Rackham Building's sculpture.

Rackham Sculpture. Photo by Maia C.

Google Map

The Rackham Building is part of the resurgant Cultural Center in Midtown Detroit. The Detroit Institute of Arts is to the north across Farnsworth, and the Detroit Public Library is to the west across Woodward Avenue.

Other Buildings

Stott Tower

The 37 floor David Stott Tower was designed in 1929 by the firm of Donaldson and Meier. Its orange colored brick is very similar to the Guardian's and the two buildings are often mistaken for one another.

The Stott is a much narrower building. It is the closest in style to Eliel Saarinen's sketch for a modern skyscraper that sparked the Art Deco skyscraper trend.

Following years of mismanagement and disrepair, the Stott had been left almost completely unoccupied. But it has recently been converted into condominiums, which are ideally suited for its small floor plate.

Google Map

Federal Courthouse

The Theodore Levin United States Court House (or just Federal Courthouse) was built in 1931. It is essentially a hollowed out ten story cube, with a large open space in the center for ventilation and daylight.

But what could have been a boring block of a building is made visually interesting with the delicate application of the Art Deco "Stripped Classical" style, much like the Rackham Building, in which classical elements are present but are abstracted and modernized.

Detroit Federal Courthouse.

Detroit Federal Courthouse. Photo by Ken Lund.

Detroit Federal Courthouse's entrance.

Detroit Federal Courthouse's entrance. Photo by C Hanchey.

The building is enlivened by Art Deco details such as geometric reliefs of people and animals. The chief judge's ornate chamber from the previous courthouse of 1896 was re-installed in this building.

Google Map

Free Press Building

Designed by Albert Khan, the Free Press Building was completed in 1925. It is a very attractive building in a great location, right across from the Federal Building.

But the Free Press moved out in 1998 and the building fell into disrepair for years.

Recently the building has been renovated into a beautiful mixed use property consisting of retail, a restaurant, and modern residences.

Google Map

Maccabees Building

Albert Kahn designed the Maccabees Building in 1927. It is reminiscent of his Fisher Building. Its 15 floor height makes it a strong presence in Detroit's Midtown.

WXYZ is a tenant and its antenna features prominently on the roof. The building is currently owned and operated by nearby Wayne State University.

Google Map

Detroit Times Building

Albert Khan also designed the Detroit Times Building, which was completed in 1929. It is an elegant representation of Art Deco, especially at the roofline where the layered verticals terminate in setbacks.

Unfortunately, the Detroit Times newspaper went out of business in 1975, and the building was demolished in 1978. This is the only building featured on this site which is no longer standing.

Macomb County Building

Although not in Detroit, the little known Macomb County Building in nearby Mt. Clemens deserves a mention because it is a fantastic example of Art Deco massing and sculpture.

It was designed by local architect George Haas in 1931. The building is only twelve stories tall but appears much taller due to its vertical emphasis. The layered verticality, geometric reliefs, and zigzag patterns are ideal Art Deco.

The main entrance features wonderful geometric stylized reliefs featuring Art Deco themes like sunbursts and zigzags. Traditional representations of justice are reinterpreted in a new style.

Google Map



Macomb County Building.

Macomb County Building. Photo by C Hanchey.

Macomb County Building.

Macomb County Building. Photo by Ben Thompson.

Water Board Building

The often overlooked but very classy 23 floor Water Board Building deserves more attention. It was designed by Louis Kamper in 1928.

Kamper's previous buildings had all been historically styled. This was his first attempt at Art Deco. He made very clever use of a tight, triangular site.

Water Board Building.

Water Board Building. Photo by Joseph.

Water Board Building.

Water Board Building's top. Photo by Per Verdonk.

The building has a very restrained and stately presence. It has a small but well adorned lobby, but the real show is in the Water Board's meeting rooms which feature Art Deco ceiling frescoes.

Google Map

Livingstone Lighthouse

The William Livingstone Lighthouse is located on Belle Isle, in the Detroit River. It was designed by Albert Khan's firm in 1929. It is the only Art Deco lighthouse in the United States.

Livingstone Lighthouse.

Livingstone Lighthouse. Photo by Sean Munson.

Livingstone Lighthouse.

Livingstone Lighthouse. Photo by Sara Hattie.

The lighthouse encompasses all the major features of Art Deco. The fluting around the shaft accentuates the building's verticality. The stepped caps of those vertical lines showcase the careful play of layering and volume of the style. The flattened, geometric figure demonstrates the presentation of the human form in the style. The sunburst and zigzag lines at the foot of the figure are recurring symbols of Art Deco.

Located on the eastern tip of Belle Isle.

Resources

Websites

For more information about Art Deco art and architecture, or Detroit discussion and history, please visit these sites:

Tours & Development

These organizations host tours and work to promote Detroit's development:

Books

For books about Detroit's architecture:

Movies

The following movies are recommended not so much for their content or quality, but because their production design is exemplary Art Deco:

Photo Credits

The text and design of this website are mine, but the photos are not. The vast majority of pictures are from flickr, under a creative commons license. The rest are specifically permitted, as cited. In some of the contents/images, I made minor lighting adjustments and sometimes cropped some edges. I do not request or receive any money for this site.

If you are a photographer, and your image is not credited correctly, or you want it removed, please contact me and I will correct or remove the image.

Home Page

Background pattern. Purchased from colourbox.com
Reversed to grayscale with level alterations for use as background.

Other homepage images are represented and credited on their building's pages, and below, in their original form.

About Page

Sketch of the original three tower plan. Courtesy of Albert Kahn Associates
Background removed and building repeated.

From the History Page

Photo of Detroit Library. Jason Mrachina
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Detroit Institute of Arts. Girl.in.the.D
Creative Commons license.
Levels slightly adjusted.
Photo of the Woolworth Building. Charles Boyle
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Book Tower. Larry Miller
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Wainwright Building. Tom Bastin
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Flatiron. Jeffrey Zeldman
Creative Commons license.
Image of the Oscar statuette. Shaun Wong
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Empire State Building. Jeffrey Zeldman
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Chrysler Building. BKL ART
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Radiator Building. Pavel Ko
Creative Commons license.
Photo of Rockefeller Center. Miguel Vaca
Creative Commons license.

From the Penobscot Page

Photo of the Penobscot Building. JasonParis
Creative Commons license.
Slightly cropped.
A closer look at the Penobscot's setbacks. Larry Miller
Creative Commons license.
A closer look at the Penobscot's lighting. Ian Freimuth
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Penobscot Building at street level. jodelli
Creative Commons license.
A close look at the Native American figure over the entrance. Bob Julius
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Penobscot's lobby. Tudor ApMadoc
Used by permission.
Photo of the Penobscot's lobby. Rich Kaszeta
Used by permission.
Photo of the Penobscot's hallway. Geoff George
Used by permission.
Photo of the Penobscot's elevator lobby. ellenm1
Creative Commons license.

From the Guardian Page

Photo of the Guardain Building. Dan Austin
Used by permission.
Photo of the top of the Guardian Building. Aidan Wakely-Mulroney
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Guardian Building at street level. Sarah
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Guardian Building's main entranc arch. ellenm1
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Guardian Building's lobby. Michigan Municipal League
Creative Commons license.
Another photo of the Guardian Building's lobby. ryangs
Creative Commons license.
Another photo of the Guardian Building's lobby. Detroit Art Deco
Photo of the Guardian Building's elevator lobby. Jeff Dunn
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Guardian Building's bank hall. Jeff Dunn
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Guardian Building's bank hall. Detroit Art Deco
Photo of the Guardian Building's bank hall. Detroit Art Deco
Photo of the mural at the end of the bank hall. Stephen
Creative Commons license.

From the Fisher Page

Photo of the Fisher Building. wyliepoon
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the top of the Fisher Building. Per Verdonk
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the main entrance of the Fisher Building. wyliepoon
Creative Commons license.
A close-up photo of the ornamentation along the entrance arch. Per Verdonk
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Fisher Building's arcade. Joy VanBuhler
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Fisher Building's arcade. Joy VanBuhler
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Fisher Building's arcade. Dig Downtown Detroit
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the original Fisher Theater's auditorium. CharmaineZoe's Marvelous Melange
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the lobof the original Fisher Theater. CharmaineZoe's Marvelous Melange
Creative Commons license.

From the Rackham Page

Photo of the Rackham Building. Sean_Marshall
Creative Commons license.
Slightly cropped.
Photo of one of the Rackham's entrances. Maia C
Creative Commons license.
Levels slightly adjusted.
Photo of one of the relief figures on the Rackham's facade. Maia C
Creative Commons license.
Levels slightly adjusted.
Photo of one of the relief figures on the Rackham's facade. Maia C
Creative Commons license.
Levels slightly adjusted.
Photo of one of the relief figures on the Rackham's facade. Maia C
Creative Commons license.
Levels slightly adjusted.
Photo of one of the relief figures on the Rackham's facade. Maia C
Creative Commons license.
Levels slightly adjusted.

From the Other Buildings Page

Photo of the Stott Tower. wyliepoon
Creative Commons license.
Another photo of the Stott Tower. Girl.in.the.D
Creative Commons license.
Slightly cropped and adjusted for levels.
Photo of the Detroit Federal Building. Ken Lund
Creative Commons license.
Levels slightly adjusted.
A closer look at the Stripped Classical style on the Federal Building. C Hanchey
Creative Commons license.
Levels slightly adjusted.
Photo of the Free Press Building. Lauren
Creative Commons license.
Levels slightly adjusted.
Photo of the Maccabees Building. Joseph
Creative Commons license.
Slightly cropped and adjusted for levels.
Photo of the Macomb County Building. Jimmy Emerson, DVM
Creative Commons license.
Slightly cropped.
A closer look at the reliefs on the building's facade. C Hanchey
Creative Commons license.
Slight contrast adjustment.
A closer look at one of the reliefs on the building's facade. Ben Thompson
Used by permission.
Slightly cropped and adjusted for contrast.
Photo of the Water Board Building. Ian Freimuth
Creative Commons license.
A closer look at the top of the Water Board Building. Per Verdonk
Creative Commons license.
Photo of the Livingstone Lighthouse. Sean Munson
Creative Commons license.
Slightly cropped and adjusted for levels.
A close-up photo of the lighthouse's figure relief. Sara Hattie
Creative Commons license.
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