Metropolitan Center for High Technology, National Register of Historic Places building in Midtown Detroit, United States.
The Metropolitan Center for High Technology is a National Register of Historic Places building in Midtown Detroit constructed in 1927. It features five stories with limestone facades, copper Mansard roofing, and terra cotta architectural details.
The building was constructed in 1927 as the world headquarters for S.S. Kresge, designed by renowned architect Albert Kahn. It received National Register status in 1979.
The building shows how retail headquarters transformed into educational spaces. Today it serves the Wayne State University campus and supports the local business community.
The building has multiple entrances across its different wings, making orientation straightforward. Visitors can appreciate the architecture from outside, though interior spaces are primarily used as office areas.
The building departs from typical skyscraper design with a wide, horizontal form anchored by a central five-story pavilion. This unconventional layout was a deliberate choice to create a retail frontage that contrasted with the vertical thinking of its era.
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