New High-Rises on the Detroit Skyline
For the first time in a generation, the Detroit skyline will be seeing some notable changes, with the addition of new high-rises thanks to local developer Bedrock Detroit.
The new high-rises have labeled Monroe Blocks and plans state that they will overlook the city’s historic theater district. The project is stated to be a mixed-use development. It will combine a high-rise office tower with a residential tower which will feature 480 units.
The project is slated to connect several highly popular areas in the metro area, which are currently considered to be historic public spaces. These areas include Cadillac Square, Campus Martius, Library Square, and Woodward, and will now feature new public plazas and green spaces that will keep in line with the city’s revitalization efforts.
The office tower is approximated to reach 35-stories while the residential tower will reach 26-stories. Several smaller buildings will accompany the pair, reaching between 6 and 15 floors each. These will house additional apartments, with a mix of rentals and condos.
The company handling the architecture plans is Danish firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, who have taken a unique approach on this project—which is their first US project.
“Our Scandinavian heritage has a strong influence on the way we approach city building on this scale. We always try to think urbanism, city space, and the built environment, in that order,” said Kristian Ahlmark, senior partner at Schmidt Hammer Lassen, in a release. “In Detroit, we found many existing spaces that held a great amount of urban qualities but lay undefined due to the vast amount of open space. Our project is very much about stitching together and re-establishing some of the indisputable qualities of the original master plan.”
The Scandinavian architect company has partnered heavily with several Detroit-based companies to get this project off the ground. Other firms involved include developer Bedrock Detroit, engineering firm Buro Happold, landscape architects SLA, and local architects Neumann Smith.
News & Image Source: http://www.multifamilyexecutive.com/design-development/detroits-first-new-high-rises-in-a-generation-to-include-rental-and-condo-units_o