Few individuals have the ability to transform entire professions like Zaha Hadid did in her relatively short career as an architect.  On the surface it would seem that the deck was stacked against her being born a woman in Iraq.  Through pure determination, she became one of the most recognized and respected figures in […]

It is no secret that Detroit public schools are in need of improvement.  We’ve seen images of mushrooms growing in damp corners of classrooms, gymnasium floors look like a scene from Tremors, and broken furnaces forcing children and teachers to wear winter coats inside.  However, when it comes to institutions of higher education, Wayne State University […]

Brutal Breuer

  As mentioned in a previous post, Marcel Breuer’s Saint Francis de Sales Church in Norton Shores, Michigan was my introduction to true Brutalist architecture.  Since that pivotal day, I’ve become infatuated with the style and have been itching to return to the building that started it all.  The weather in Michigan is becoming more Spring-like […]

Brutalism in Detroit

  One of the reasons I love Detroit is because of its rich architectural history and wide variety of styles.  An enthusiast of any era can find gems in any given corner of the city; Gothic, Renaissance Revival, Art Deco, Modern, Postmodern, and everything in between.  One style that generates perhaps the most polarizing emotions […]