Harry W. Chamberlin (1861) was a respected Detroit architect in the early 1900s, a time when the city’s newfound industrial wealth increased the demand for stylish, architect-commissioned homes in prestigious neighborhoods like Indian Village. Within Indian Village, you’ll find Chamberlin’s “George H. Harms House” commission at 991 Burns (one of Detroit’s most architecturally rich boulevards), […]

Frazer-Couzens Building Company was a prominent Detroit-based luxury residential development firm founded by home designer John P. Frazer and Frank Couzens (the son of former U.S. Senator and Detroit Mayor James Couzens) at the turn of the century.  Together, Frazer and Couzens specialized in designing high-style homes for some of the era’s most influential families, […]

Gardiner C. Vose (1902-1991) was a 20th-century University of Michigan-trained Detroit architect best known for designing the residence of Maurice A. Enggass, Vice President and Treasurer of the Enggass Jewelry Company (Detroit’s oldest and largest jeweler) in 1937, located at 19365 Cumberland Way in Palmer Woods. Considered a Palmer Woods cultural landmark, the Enggass residence […]

Mason & Kahn was the 20th-century design and architecture firm of designers George D. Mason and Albert Kahn, two emerging greats in the city’s rapidly developing suburban landscape at that time. The firm’s residential work blended architectural elegance with quality stone and brick work, making them a natural fit for prestigious historic neighborhoods like Indian Village, […]

Mathias W. Huber was a Revival-style Detroit architect and builder who was active in the 20th century during the city’s economic boom and rapid northwest residential expansion.  His contributions to some of the city’s most historic districts showcase the many commissions of Detroit’s professional class in the early to mid-1900s, which included high-quality single-family residences […]

Matthew Finn was a 20th-century architect from the Detroit area who rose to prominence during the city’s boom in residential development at the height of the automotive industry’s rise. His living work showcases his mastery of revival styling, luxury detailing, scale, symmetry, and quality brickwork, all of which appealed to Detroit’s early elite, who were […]

Maurice Herman Finkel (1888–1950) was one of the 20th century’s most prolific yet rarely mentioned Detroit-based architects, as well as a respected Yiddish theater actor. A native of Bessarabia (formerly part of the Russian Empire), Finkel immigrated to the United States as a child with his family and lived in New York for a brief […]

Oscar C. Gottesleben (1882-1940) was a prominent Detroit architect of the golden age who specialized in elegant, revival-influenced domestic architecture commissioned by the city’s burgeoning automotive-era professional class.  His catalog of residential work is defined by high-quality materials, sophisticated designs, masonry, and carefully composed façades — all sought-after traits by residents occupying the city’s most prestigious […]

Mortimer L. Smith (1840–1896) was one of a handful of early 20th-century Detroit architects who helped shape the city’s architectural identity during its automotive economic boom period.  Best known for his Victorian-era designs (think Queen Anne and Romanesque Revival touches), Smith helped shape several upper-class neighborhoods as Detroit’s elite migrated from downtown into its upscale […]

R. Arthur Bailey (1867) was one of many skilled architects who had an impact on the historic Palmer Woods district during its early development phase – also home to his most notable commission, the John S. Van Alstyne House at 19480 Lowell Drive, for John S. Van Alstyne Jr., president of the John S. Van […]

Stratton & Snyder was the residential architectural practice of Dalton J. V. Snyder and William B. Stratton, which operated out of Detroit in the early 1900s at the height of the city’s rise as an industrial powerhouse.  Leading visionaries behind the creation of some of Detroit’s most distinguished enclaves, Stratton & Snyder took great pride […]

Stratton & Hyde was a much-loved architecture and design practice founded by prominent architects William Stratton and Arthur K. Hyde at the turn of the century. A firm best known for their high-end residential commissions during the city’s rapid early 20th-century economic boom period, Stratton & Hyde quickly gained a reputation for their stunning designs featuring […]

Stratton & Baldwin was the early 20th-century architecture and design firm behind the construction of Belle Isle’s historic Bathhouse, which stood from 1913 all the way until 1973. Their work showcases the polished, prestigious character that Detroit’s elite enclaves became famous for, leaning heavily into revival-styling with sensible massing, distinguished façades, and quality craftsmanship meant […]

Leon Coquard (1860–1923) was a French-born architect who helped introduce European classical training to Detroit at a pivotal moment in the city’s architectural evolution.  While best known for his ecclesiastical and institutional work, which can be seen in Catholic churches all throughout Detroit, Coquard also commissioned upscale residences for the city’s professional and industrial elite.  […]

John W. Case (1864 – 1937) was a Detroit architect who had a significant impact on upscale residential development during a period when stunning architecture was a prerequisite for housing commissions in elite neighborhoods like Indian Village.  Case’s work features impressive massing, long-lasting materials, and an understated elegance – signaling social position without gaudiness, a quality […]