Meet Mr. Birkerts

I’ve recently been trying to expand and learn more about different architects, particularly those that have been prominent in Michigan.  I visited a number of projects by Gunnar Birkerts on a cold and foggy morning this weekend.  The work of Birkerts has caught my attention as of late; his work is far more expressive than many of his Modern contemporaries, and that is likely due to the fact that he worked at the offices of Perkins+Will, Eero Saarinen and Minoru Yamasaki early in his career.

In addition to his many awards and accomplishments, Gunnar was a professor at University of Michigan from 1959-1990, and is a youthful 90 years old today.

Calvary Baptist Church in Detroit, MI by Gunnar Birkerts.

IBM regional office in Southfield, MI by Gunnar Birkerts.

University of Detroit Administration Building by Gunnar Birkerts.

1300 Lafayette Apartments in Detroit, MI by Gunnar Birkerts.