A Photographic Tribute to 160 Years of Great Architecture October 18, 2008

The Detroit Public Library hosts a photographic display of American City Detroit Architecture 1845 – 2005. Running October 10, 2008 through January 17, 2009, in Adam Strohm Hall, Detroit Public Library, 5201 Woodward, north of Warren, in Midtown Detroit. Open to the public, no charge for admission.

Detroit’s public buildings—its museums, libraries, schools and
monuments—are second to none in terms of their overall scale, materials and
detailing. Overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of the buildings they
encountered on a 2003 visit to downtown Detroit, photographer William
Zbaren and writer Robert Sharoff were moved to create “American City:
Detroit Architecture 1845-2005,” a tribute to one of the country’s most
Magnificent cities.

William Zbaren is an architectural photographer for the New York Times
and other publications. Robert Sharoff is an architecture and real estate writer
whose work has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post and
the Chicago Tribune.

Over a 12-month period beginning in June of 2004, Mr. Zbaren and Mr.
Sharoff researched and photographed 50 of the city’s most notable structures
from the last 160 years. Their stops included the Burton Historical Collection
at the Detroit Public Library.

The list of major architects who have designed buildings for Detroit includes
such celebrated national and international names as Frank Lloyd Wright,
Mies van der Rohe, Daniel Burnham, Cass Gilbert, Stanford White,
Paul Cret and Philip Johnson. Just as impressive are the architects and firms
who have called Detroit home over the years. These include Albert Kahn,
Smith Hinchman & Grylls (now SmithGroup), Wirt Rowland, Minorou
Yamasaki and William Kessler.

There are 81photographs in the show depicting such landmarks as Fort
Wayne, Wayne County Building, Michigan Central Railroad Station,
Orchestra Hall, Detroit Public Library, General Motors Building, Detroit
Institute of Arts, Fox Theater, Penobscot Building, Guardian Building, Fisher
Building, McGregor Memorial Conference Center, Lafayette Park,
Renaissance Center, Detroit Receiving Hospital, Charles H. Wright Museum
of African American History, Compuware Building and Cass Technical High
School.

The images range in size from 11 x 14 inches up to 16 x 20 inches. The
Photographs are Giclee prints on Bergger paper. Giclee (zhee-clay) is a new
Digital printing process that employs up to 12 colors and produces lush,
beautiful prints at are also incredibly precise. The book, from which the exhibit was drawn, is available at Barnes and Noble.

Library hours: Tuesday and Wednesday, Noon till 8 PM, Thursday through Saturday, 10 AM till 6 PM. For information call 313-833-4042 or www.detroitpubliclibrary.org.

Official Website: http://www.detroitpubliclibary.org