The Kahn

The Albert Kahn Legacy Foundation recently partnered with the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) in bringing 120 middle and high school students to Belle Isle for an immersive introduction to the 122‑year‑old Belle Isle Aquarium and the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, two of Detroit’s most beloved architectural treasures. Designed…

When the General Motors Building opened its doors in 1923, Detroit gained not just a corporate headquarters but a monumental expression of the city’s industrial confidence. Designed by Albert Kahn and one of his most commanding works, it arose along West Grand Boulevard at the heart of the emerging New…

Michigan’s most enduring landmarks are more than points on a map, they also trace the ambitions, anxieties and creative leaps that shaped the state across three centuries. That is why the Albert Kahn Legacy Foundation is especially honored that three Albert Kahn–designed structures were selected by The Detroit News for…

The Fisher Building has been characterized in many ways over the past century, but one title has endured above all: “Detroit’s largest art object.” Its gleaming marble arcades, gilded ceilings and monumental form continue to captivate visitors and scholars alike. Yet even a building this celebrated still holds surprises, like…

One of Detroit’s newest preservation success stories stands on the shoulders of some of the city’s most consequential innovators. The former Cadillac Motor Company assembly plant on Amsterdam Street was designed in 1905 by architect George D. Mason in collaboration with engineer Julius Kahn, whose pioneering Kahn Bar reinforcement system…