Gunnar Birkerts
Latvian-American architect, 1925 to 2017, born in Riga, Latvia
Designer of 1300 Lafayette East Cooperative, the 30-floor tower that rose in Detroit's Lafayette Park in 1964. Another 2 of Birkerts' works are on record across 2 counties, built from 1927 to 1964, each on the map below.
- works on record in Metro Detroit
- 3
- of work here, 1927 to 1964
- 37 years
- notable works beyond Metro Detroit
- 6
Gunnar Birkerts, here and around the world, by height
All 3 of Birkerts' works on record, with Birkerts' work elsewhere drawn paler, oldest at left. Heights are to scale where one is on record (1 of 4, tallest 1300 Lafayette East Cooperative at 390 feet); the rest are drawn at one standard size.
All 3 of Birkerts' works on record, with Birkerts' work elsewhere drawn paler, oldest at left. Heights are to scale where one is on record (1 of 4, tallest 1300 Lafayette East Cooperative at 390 feet); the rest are drawn at one standard size.
1300 Lafayette East Cooperative
1964, Detroit, 30 floors, about 390 feet
Photographed standing in 2007
Open its page- Standing
- Beyond Metro Detroit
- Tap or point at a building
The story
Gunnar Birkerts lived from 1925 to 2017, a life that began in Riga, Latvia, and Wikidata describes Birkerts as a Latvian-American architect. The work that leads Birkerts' record here is 1300 Lafayette East Cooperative, 30 floors in Detroit's Lafayette Park, finished in 1964.
Every one of Birkerts' 3 works on record still stands. A span of 37 years separates Detroit Institute of Arts (1927) from the Lower Trout Lake Bathhouse Complex and Contact Station (1964), the first and last of Birkerts' works here.
Outside Metro Detroit, Birkerts' work includes the Marquette Plaza in Minneapolis, Minnesota (1973), the Latvian National Library Building in Zemgale Suburb, Latvia, and Lincoln Elementary School in Columbus, Indiana. Among the honors on record for Birkerts are the Grand Medal of the Latvian Academy of Sciences in 2000 and the Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.
Cret, Zantzinger, Borie & Medary is credited beside Birkerts on Detroit Institute of Arts. Michael Graves is credited beside Birkerts on Detroit Institute of Arts. Birkerts' work spreads across Wayne County and Oakland County.
In Detroit, Birkerts' work stands in Cultural Center and Lafayette Park. To see Birkerts' work in person, start with Detroit Institute of Arts at 5200 Woodward Ave.
Gunnar Birkerts (Latvian: Gunārs Birkerts, January 17, 1925, August 15, 2017) was a Latvian American architect who, for the most of his career, was based in the metropolitan area of Detroit, Michigan.
Gunnar Birkerts' mark on Metro Detroit, building by building
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Detroit Institute of Arts
1927, Detroit's Cultural Center, Theater
Still standing, photographed 2018
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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1300 Lafayette East Cooperative
1964, Detroit's Lafayette Park, Skyscraper
Photographed standing in 2007
Photo: Mikerussell at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Lower Trout Lake Bathhouse Complex and Contact Station
1964, Auburn Hills vicinity, Building
Still standing, photographed 2019
Photo: Jessicapuff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
No work matches every choice. Remove a filter above to see more.
Where their buildings stand
3 works on the map
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- Standing
- Demolished
- Altered
- 4Works close together
3 works on the map
Beyond Metro Detroit
6 notable works by Gunnar Birkerts in 4 places, as Wikidata lists them.
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Marquette Plaza Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1973 Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons -
Latvian National Library Building Zemgale Suburb, Latvia Photo: Yeti-Hunter, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons -
Lincoln Elementary School Columbus, Indiana Photo: Declan Haun, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons -
Prairie House Ann Arbor Charter Township, Michigan Photo: Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons -
Saint Peter's Lutheran Church Columbus, Indiana Photo: Holly Higgins, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons -
Tom Monaghan's Leaning Tower of Pizza Ann Arbor Charter Township, Michigan Photo: User:Mgordonb, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Who Birkerts worked with
- Cret, Zantzinger, Borie & Medary on Detroit Institute of Arts
- Michael Graves on Detroit Institute of Arts
- Paul Philippe Cret on Detroit Institute of Arts
- Suren Pilafian on Detroit Institute of Arts
Where the work stands
- Cultural Center
- Lafayette Park
- Orion Township
Photo credits
All 10 photos on Gunnar Birkerts' page, each with its author, license and the original.
- The Modernist 1300 Lafayette East Cooperative, in Lafayette Park, Detroit, Michigan, 2007 Photo: Mikerussell at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Portrait of Gunnar Birkerts, Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Michigan, circa 1968 Photo: University of Michigan A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- The exterior of the Detroit Institute of Arts in Detroit, Michigan (United States), 2018 Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Lower Trout Lake Bathhouse Complex and Contact Station (1969),designed by Gunnar Birkerts, 2011 Photo: Jessicapuff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Marquette Plaza Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Latvian National Library Building Photo: Yeti-Hunter, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Lincoln Elementary School Photo: Declan Haun, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Prairie House Photo: Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Saint Peter's Lutheran Church Photo: Holly Higgins, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Tom Monaghan's Leaning Tower of Pizza Photo: User:Mgordonb, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sources
The facts on Gunnar Birkerts come from Historic Detroit, Wikidata, Wikipedia, and Photos; Rebuild Detroit wrote the story above from them, and each photo names its license.