When tasked with developing a strategic plan for the Carr Center’s historic Harmonie Building, its unique position in Detroit’s cultural landscape quickly became evident. The 19th-century structure stands as a venerable presence at a key urban crossroads, and programmatically, the Carr Center is unmatched, having served as the sole downtown institution at the intersection of African American cultural stewardship and contemporary creative production, embodying the vision of Paradise Valley.
To enhance the Carr Center’s role, we assessed its spatial and programmatic assets in relation to similar Detroit institutions. Our analysis revealed that strategies once considered innovative, such as workshops and flexible spaces, are now common, with 60% and 43% of institutions offering them, respectively. The Carr Center’s third-floor performance space, while distinctive, faces competition from an abundance of underutilized small theaters in the city.
However, the Carr Center also has unique strengths. Only seven percent of Detroit’s cultural venues have functional outdoor spaces, making its connection to Harmonie Park a rare asset. The third-story ballroom, filled with natural light, offers a versatile setting that goes beyond traditional theater constraints. Additionally, few Detroit institutions explicitly focus on African American cultural programming, highlighting the Carr Center’s vital role in this area.
The result is a strategic plan that both preserves and revitalizes the Harmonie Building, supporting existing programming while embracing experimental arts and contemporary performance, fully aligning with the Center’s unique mission.
2014
Downtown Detroit
Scale:
45,000 SF
Client:
Carr Center
Principals:
Anya Sirota, Jean Louis Farges
Design Team:
Ian Donaldson, Mathew Story
Production Team:
Rachel Mulder, Eiji Jimbo