The guiding plan and addition design for the Detroit Historical Museum started with a provocation: can architecture foster experiences that present history as a living, dynamic art rather than a fixed canon? Working in close collaboration with the museum’s staff and leadership, the project crafted a response by tactically reconfiguring a building constructed in 1951 and expanded in 1967.
The proposed design strips the structure to its essence, analyzing the original framework and removing partitions and surfaces that hinder the spatial generosity of the original plan. This proposal eliminates obstructions, rearranges galleries, introduces commercial activities to engage the surrounding square, and incorporates a circulatory strategy that ensures a continuous flow through Detroit’s most compelling narratives and histories.
Externally, the design enlivens Legends Plaza by reducing barriers between the street and the public landscape beyond. A glass tower is envisioned as both a beacon and a highlight of the collection, inviting people to cross the threshold and explore the museum galleries in an open-ended yet intuitive manner. A projection surface offers a flexible venue for rotating audio and visual content while keeping the lobby open and welcoming. Inside, the reactivated Woodward Avenue entry greets visitors with an open atrium and a “rust belt” stairway, paying homage to the city’s industrial legacy.
Revising the physical space of the Detroit Historical Museum, the proposal underscores the museum’s custodial role as the keeper of Detroit’s historical record and highlights its contributions to shaping the city’s future histories.
2022
Midtown Detroit
Scale:
110,000 SF
Client:
The Detroit Cultural Center Association (DCCA)
Stakeholders:
Detroit Historical Museum
Principals:
Jean Louis Farges, Anya Sirota
Design Team:
Sarah Carter, Ian Donaldson