Buhl Building
Encyclopedia
The Buhl Building is a skyscraper
and class-A office center in Detroit, Michigan
, United States
. Architect Wirt C. Rowland
designed the Buhl in a Neo-Gothic style with Romanesque
accents. Constructed in 1925, it stands at 26 stories, in the Detroit Financial District
across Congress Street from the Penobscot Building
, and across Griswold Street from the Guardian Building
, all of which were designed by Wirt C. Rowland
. The Buhl Building stands on the corner of Congress St. West, and Griswold St. in Downtown Detroit. The building stands atop what used to be the Savoyard Creek near its confluence with the Detroit River. In 1836, the creek was covered and turned into a sewer. The Savoyard Club occupied the 27th floor of the Buhl Building from 1928 until its membership dwindled and the club closed in 1994. Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation
has its headquarters in the building.
The Citizen's Bank Building in downtown Saginaw, Michigan
was modeled after the Buhl Building.
The architectural sculpture on the building was designed by Corrado Parducci
.
, Guardian Building
, and the Buhl Building was born and raised in Clinton, Michigan
. In 1901, he landed a job as an office boy for the Detroit firm of Rogers & MacFarlane, quickly moving on to the prestigious George D. Mason
firm. In 1909, he joined the office of Albert Kahn, who had also apprenticed under Mason. In 1910, with the encouragement of both Mason and Kahn, Rowland attended the Harvard Graduate School of Design
in Cambridge
, MA for a year.
The combination of Rowland's natural design talent, Harvard education, and Detroit's healthy economy positioned him to make major contributions to the city's architecture. Rowland is a case study in design attribution. In 1911, in the office of Kahn, he and Ernest Wilby are said have been primarily responsible for the Hill Auditorium
at the University of Michigan
. Through 1915 Rowland worked for the local firm of Malcomson & Higginbotham. He then returned to Kahn's office, contributing to the firm's classic projects, namely the Hatcher Graduate Library at the University of Michigan, the Detroit News Building, the First National Bank Building (1922), and the General Motors Building (1922) renamed Cadillac Place
.
Rowland's career peaked as Head Designer (1922–1930) of Smith Hinchman & Grylls
(SmithGroup). There, he designed a dozen major structures in downtown Detroit; among these, are a number of the city's most accomplished and evocative buildings. To a large extent, Rowland helped define Detroit's architectural genre. For the Guardian Building, he had assembled a multitude of artisans, mosaicists, sculptors, painters, and tile manufacturers including Corrado Parducci
, muralist Ezra Winter
, and tile from the Rookwood and Pewabic
pottery companies. He thus recreated the architectural synthesis of a medieval cathedral. Hence, Rowland had reached a climax, when his Union Trust/Guardian Building became known as "the Cathedral of Finance."
The Guardian Building opened in 1930. With the onset of the Great Depression
, Rowland was laid off from Smith Hinchman & Grylls
so formed his own office where his work decreased to a small number of churches, schools, and construction projects. Late in life, he returned to a purer, Gothic
idiom for his last few projects, notably the Kirk in the Hills
church which was finished after he died in 1946. During World War II, the Guardian Building would serve as heaquarters for war time production when Detroit was called, the "Arsenal of Democracy
."
Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation
has its headquarters in the building, and the Consulate of Italy in Detroit
is located in Suite 1840.
Other tenants:
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
and class-A office center in Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Architect Wirt C. Rowland
Wirt C. Rowland
Wirt Clinton Rowland was an American architect best known for his work in Detroit, Michigan.-Biography:...
designed the Buhl in a Neo-Gothic style with Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
accents. Constructed in 1925, it stands at 26 stories, in the Detroit Financial District
Detroit Financial District
The Detroit Financial District is a historic district in downtown Detroit, Michigan. The district was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on December 14, 2009, and was announced as the featured listing in the National Park Service's weekly list of December 24, 2009.It includes...
across Congress Street from the Penobscot Building
Penobscot Building
The Greater Penobscot Building, commonly known as the Penobscot Building, is a skyscraper and class-A office building in downtown Detroit, Michigan. Rising 566 feet , the 47-story Penobscot was the tallest building in Michigan from its completion in 1928 until the construction of the Renaissance...
, and across Griswold Street from the Guardian Building
Guardian Building
The Guardian Building is a skyscraper at 500 Griswold Street in the downtown of the city of Detroit, in the state of Michigan, in the United States of America. The Guardian is a class-A office building owned by Wayne County, Michigan and serves as its headquarters...
, all of which were designed by Wirt C. Rowland
Wirt C. Rowland
Wirt Clinton Rowland was an American architect best known for his work in Detroit, Michigan.-Biography:...
. The Buhl Building stands on the corner of Congress St. West, and Griswold St. in Downtown Detroit. The building stands atop what used to be the Savoyard Creek near its confluence with the Detroit River. In 1836, the creek was covered and turned into a sewer. The Savoyard Club occupied the 27th floor of the Buhl Building from 1928 until its membership dwindled and the club closed in 1994. Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation
Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation
The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation ' is the public transit operator serving suburban Greater Detroit. Beginning operations in 1967 as the "SouthEastern Michigan Transportation Authority" or "SEMTA", it operates 44 "linehaul" and three "park-and-ride" bus routes in Wayne,...
has its headquarters in the building.
The Citizen's Bank Building in downtown Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
was modeled after the Buhl Building.
The architectural sculpture on the building was designed by Corrado Parducci
Corrado Parducci
Corrado Giuseppe Parducci was an Italian-American architectural sculptor who was a celebrated artist for his numerous early 20th Century works.-Early life and education:...
.
Architect
Wirt C. Rowland, architect of the Penobscot BuildingPenobscot Building
The Greater Penobscot Building, commonly known as the Penobscot Building, is a skyscraper and class-A office building in downtown Detroit, Michigan. Rising 566 feet , the 47-story Penobscot was the tallest building in Michigan from its completion in 1928 until the construction of the Renaissance...
, Guardian Building
Guardian Building
The Guardian Building is a skyscraper at 500 Griswold Street in the downtown of the city of Detroit, in the state of Michigan, in the United States of America. The Guardian is a class-A office building owned by Wayne County, Michigan and serves as its headquarters...
, and the Buhl Building was born and raised in Clinton, Michigan
Clinton, Michigan
Clinton is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Michigan:* Charter Township of Clinton, Michigan in Macomb County* Clinton, Lenawee County, Michigan, village* Clinton County, Michigan* Clinton Charter Township, Lenawee County, Michigan...
. In 1901, he landed a job as an office boy for the Detroit firm of Rogers & MacFarlane, quickly moving on to the prestigious George D. Mason
George D. Mason
George DeWitt Mason was an American architect who practiced in Detroit, Michigan in the latter part of the 19th and early decades of the 20th centuries.Mason was born in Syracuse, New York , the son of James H. and Zelda E. Mason...
firm. In 1909, he joined the office of Albert Kahn, who had also apprenticed under Mason. In 1910, with the encouragement of both Mason and Kahn, Rowland attended the Harvard Graduate School of Design
Harvard Graduate School of Design
The Harvard Graduate School of Design is a graduate school at Harvard University offering degrees in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning and Design.-History:...
in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, MA for a year.
The combination of Rowland's natural design talent, Harvard education, and Detroit's healthy economy positioned him to make major contributions to the city's architecture. Rowland is a case study in design attribution. In 1911, in the office of Kahn, he and Ernest Wilby are said have been primarily responsible for the Hill Auditorium
Hill Auditorium
Hill Auditorium is the largest performance venue on the University of Michigan campus, in Ann Arbor, USA. The auditorium was named in honor of Arthur Hill , who served as a regent of the university from 1901 to 1909. He bequeathed $200,000 to the university for the construction of a venue for...
at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. Through 1915 Rowland worked for the local firm of Malcomson & Higginbotham. He then returned to Kahn's office, contributing to the firm's classic projects, namely the Hatcher Graduate Library at the University of Michigan, the Detroit News Building, the First National Bank Building (1922), and the General Motors Building (1922) renamed Cadillac Place
Cadillac Place
Cadillac Place is an ornate high-rise class-A office complex in the New Center area of Detroit, Michigan constructed of steel, limestone, granite, and marble between 1919 and 1923 and was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1985. The building houses several agencies of the State of Michigan...
.
Rowland's career peaked as Head Designer (1922–1930) of Smith Hinchman & Grylls
Smith Hinchman & Grylls
SmithGroup ranks as the United States' 7th largest architecture and engineering firm and employs 800. The firm is composed of client industry-focused practices serving Health, Learning, Science & Technology, and Workplace markets...
(SmithGroup). There, he designed a dozen major structures in downtown Detroit; among these, are a number of the city's most accomplished and evocative buildings. To a large extent, Rowland helped define Detroit's architectural genre. For the Guardian Building, he had assembled a multitude of artisans, mosaicists, sculptors, painters, and tile manufacturers including Corrado Parducci
Corrado Parducci
Corrado Giuseppe Parducci was an Italian-American architectural sculptor who was a celebrated artist for his numerous early 20th Century works.-Early life and education:...
, muralist Ezra Winter
Ezra Winter
Ezra Augustus Winter was an American muralist.Winter was born in Traverse City, Michigan, trained at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts in 1908, and the American Academy in Rome in 1914. Winter became extremely successful and commanded high prices for his work...
, and tile from the Rookwood and Pewabic
Pewabic Pottery
Pewabic Pottery is a studio and school located in Detroit, Michigan and founded in 1903. The studio is known for its iridescent glazes, some of which grace notable buildings such as the Shedd Aquarium and Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Pewabic Pottery is on display...
pottery companies. He thus recreated the architectural synthesis of a medieval cathedral. Hence, Rowland had reached a climax, when his Union Trust/Guardian Building became known as "the Cathedral of Finance."
The Guardian Building opened in 1930. With the onset of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, Rowland was laid off from Smith Hinchman & Grylls
Smith Hinchman & Grylls
SmithGroup ranks as the United States' 7th largest architecture and engineering firm and employs 800. The firm is composed of client industry-focused practices serving Health, Learning, Science & Technology, and Workplace markets...
so formed his own office where his work decreased to a small number of churches, schools, and construction projects. Late in life, he returned to a purer, Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
idiom for his last few projects, notably the Kirk in the Hills
Kirk in the Hills
Kirk in the Hills Presbyterian in Bloomfield Township, Michigan was designed by architects George D. Mason; Wirt Rowland had made preliminary designs for the church before World War II, but Rowland died in 1946 and the Mason design was not based on the Rowland sketches...
church which was finished after he died in 1946. During World War II, the Guardian Building would serve as heaquarters for war time production when Detroit was called, the "Arsenal of Democracy
Arsenal of Democracy
"The Arsenal of Democracy" was a propaganda slogan coined by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in a radio broadcast delivered on December 29, 1940. Roosevelt promised to help the United Kingdom fight Nazi Germany by giving them military supplies while the United States stayed out of the actual...
."
Tenants
Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation
The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation ' is the public transit operator serving suburban Greater Detroit. Beginning operations in 1967 as the "SouthEastern Michigan Transportation Authority" or "SEMTA", it operates 44 "linehaul" and three "park-and-ride" bus routes in Wayne,...
has its headquarters in the building, and the Consulate of Italy in Detroit
Diplomatic missions of Italy
This is a list of diplomatic missions of Italy, excluding honorary consulates. Italy has a large global network of diplomatic missions. It is the only country in the world to have an embassy on its own territory - the Italian embassy to the Holy See is in Rome....
is located in Suite 1840.
Other tenants:
- SEMCOG
- Turner Construction Company
- PNC Bank
- Quiznos Subs
- Diamond Drop Shoe Shine
- Municipal Advisory Council of Michigan
- Frank's in the Buhl Deli
- Joan Anderson Travel Service
- Buhl Barber
- Xact Duplicating Services
- Consulate of Italy in Detroit
- Plunkett Cooney P.C.
- Consulate of the Netherlands
- State of Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission
See also
- Art DecoArt DecoArt deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
- Fisher BuildingFisher BuildingThe Fisher Building is an ornate Art Deco skyscraper located on the corner of West Grand Boulevard and Second Avenue in the heart of the New Center area of Detroit, Michigan. It is constructed of limestone, granite, and several types of marble, and was financed by the Fisher family with proceeds...
- Guardian BuildingGuardian BuildingThe Guardian Building is a skyscraper at 500 Griswold Street in the downtown of the city of Detroit, in the state of Michigan, in the United States of America. The Guardian is a class-A office building owned by Wayne County, Michigan and serves as its headquarters...
- Penobscot BuildingPenobscot BuildingThe Greater Penobscot Building, commonly known as the Penobscot Building, is a skyscraper and class-A office building in downtown Detroit, Michigan. Rising 566 feet , the 47-story Penobscot was the tallest building in Michigan from its completion in 1928 until the construction of the Renaissance...
- Ford BuildingFord BuildingThe Ford Building is a high-rise office building at 615 Griswold Street, in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It is located at the northwest corner of Congress and Griswold Streets in the heart of Detroit's Financial District...
Further reading
- Kvaran, Einar Einarsson, Shadowing Parducci, unpublished manuscript, Detroit.