Construction of the Fisher Building was completed in 1928. It was financed by procedes from the Fisher Family after they sold the Fisher Body company to General Motors. It was originally designed as an office and retail building. It was designed by Albert Kahn (a name you may recognize from other parts of this blog).
It is probably a perfect example of an Art Deco Skyscraper. And in my opinion, it rivals some of the buildings you will find elsewhere.
Anyways, getting back to today's assignment, I suppose the lights could constitute a line that leads you through the image. I managed to get inside the building and take a picture of main hallway and it was as ornate as the outside of the building. The building also houses the Fisher Theater (which according to Mark Steyn apparently doesn't exist since Eminem found the only open theater in Detroit in the commercial). The hallway is constructed with three different types of marble.
The Building is 428 feet tall with 30 stories. At the top of the building is a radio antenna which is used by WJR which is at 760AM. It is also used by WDVD and WDRQ.
This was originally going to be part of a three building complex, with two 30 story buildings flanking a 60 story building. The Great Depression put the skids on that plan.
The building has some pretty intricate detailing. This is one of the things on the side.
At the top of the entrance are these sculptures(?). This one has a mythical figure holding a car.
I'm not sure what this one is holding.
This looks like a cornucopia. I'm going to guess these images represent something about the history of Detroit.
The building currently houses the offices of the Detroit Public Schools. I kind of wish it wasn't so cold outside because I might have wandered a little futher to get a further out shot of the building so that you could see the full structure. From different angles you can see the Antenna at the top and sometimes it is lit different colors...mostly I've seen it red.
2 comments:
The object with the mythological figure in the second photograph might be a beehive. This is a reference to "the land of milk and honey" of the ancient Israelites. Although the phrase has taken on legendary meaning in the modern age, it was meant literally in ancient times; there is archaeological evidence of bee-keeping in ancient Judea.
I was thinking that but I was also racking my brain on why. But with your explanation, it makes sense.
Thanks.
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