The Guardian Building is a landmark 43-story office skyscraper in the Financial District of downtown Detroit, Michigan. Built from 1928 to 1929, the building was originally called the Union Trust Building and is a bold example of Art Deco architecture, including art moderne designs. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989, and is currently owned by Wayne County. Rowland designed furniture for the bank's offices as well as tableware, linens, and waitress uniforms for a restaurant in the building.

The building's three-story, vaulted lobby is lavishly decorated with Pewabic and Rookwood tile. The semi-circular exterior domes are filled with Pewabic Pottery; Mary Chase Perry Stratton worked closely with the architect in the design of the symbolic decorations. (See Savage, infra.) A Monel metal screen divides the lobby from the banking hall on the second floor, the screen features a clock in the center designed by Tiffany. The building includes works by muralist Ezra Winter in the mosaic above the main lobby desk and the mural at the end of the banking hall. The large mosaic is of a pine tree and text that states the Union Trust Company's purpose for the building, "Founded on principles of faith and understating, this building is erected for the purpose of continuing and maintaining the ideals of financial services which promoted the organization of the institution". The mural highlights Michigan's industries such as manufacturing, farming and mining. In order to dampen the sound in the banking hall, its cement-plaster ceiling features a hand-painted canvas ceiling, which was stretched over a mat of horsehair.

Innovations

The Guardian Building featured innovations in both design and technology. The building's designer, Wirt Rowland, specified Monel metal in place of the commonly used brass and bronze for all exposed metalwork on the building, an innovation which was widely adopted, most notably on New York's Chrysler Building. Rowland dispensed with traditional forms of decoration, using instead colored materials (brick, stone, and terra cotta) set in geometric patterns on both the interior and exterior of the structure. The building's elevator system represented the first use of technology which automatically stopped the car level with the floor and opened the doors, tasks formerly handled by the operator.

William Edward Kapp, architect for the firm of Smith, Hinchman & Grylls has been credited with interior design work on the Guardian Building.

History

The skyscraper was built by the Union Trust Company, founded in Detroit in 1890 by Senator James McMillan, and Dexter M. Ferry, along with investments from Russell A. Alger, Col. Frank J. Hecker, and Christian H. Buhl. The Guardian Building has become a souvenir item along with other Detroit skyscrapers.

Tenants

  • SmithGroup
  • Wayne County - Departments: Buildings, Commission, Corporation Counsel, Department of Information Technology, Economic Development Corporation, Management & Budget, Economic Development, Wayne County Land Bank, Benefits, County Executive, Healthchoice, Health, Veterans Services, Prosecutors & Detectives, Personal/Workforce, Indigent Defense Services, Juvenile and Youth Services
  • Detroit Transportation Corporation
  • Detroit Land Bank Authority
  • Guardian Cafe Featuring James Oliver Coffee
  • Bank of America
  • Huron Capital
  • Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
  • Eagle Security Services
  • Federal Criminal Attorneys of Michigan
  • Law Office of Sklar & Rataj
  • Jacobs & Diemer
  • Roncelli Construction Services
  • Attorney Kenneth Sebree
  • Wade Trim
  • WSP
  • Bajoka Law Group
  • Guardian Store
  • Green Room
  • Crazy Gringo
  • Land Capital Ventures
  • Law Office of Maria Mannarino
  • Steingold Law Firm
  • The Detroit People Mover
  • City Tour Detroit
  • The Monzo Group
  • St. J Style
  • Law office of Nathan & Kamionski
  • Pitts Law Firm

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File:GuardianBuildingCP edit1.jpg|The sculptures of Safety and Security flank the main entrance

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File:Union Trust Building-Metal Gates.jpg|

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File:Ceiling tile in the lobby of the Guardian building (8542536425).jpg|

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File:GuardianSkyBridge.png|Pedestrian bridge between the Guardian Building and One Woodward Avenue

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See also

  • Buhl Building
  • Cadillac Place
  • David Stott Building
  • Fisher Building
  • Penobscot Building
  • List of tallest buildings in Detroit

References

Further reading

  • Ferry, W. Hawkins (1968). The Buildings of Detroit: A History. Wayne State University Press.
  • Kvaran, Einar Einarsson, Shadowing Parducci, unpublished manuscript, Detroit.
  • Lacy, Robert, Ford, The Men and the Machine, Little Brown & Co., 1986, pgs. 328-334

www.guardianbuilding.com

  • Official Guardian Building website
  • National Park Service: Guardian Building
  • Made in Michigan Blog: "Cathedral of Finance" (Guardian Building) — text and vintage images.