Architecture: Detroit Ruins & Urban Decay

“The ruins of Detroit's proud industrial past have become something of a tourist attraction in the now bankrupt city. But development is revitalising some of the grandest ruins downtown, leaving ruin aficionados with mixed feelings.” (1)

The story of Detroit when told nowadays is one of boom and bust, indeed, the story of many cities and countries could said to be similar. However, Detroit stands out amongst these as being one of the more severe cases of bust.

Pic. Michigan Central Station

As of July 2013 the city of Detroit was officially declared bankrupt.

In the early 1900’s three major car manufacturers were spearheading the industrial revolution in the Michigan area, General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. By the mid-point of the 1900’s (circa 1950), Detroit rose to become the 5th largest city in America, it’s population rising toward the 2 million mark. (2)

Moving into the second half of the century, the auto industry required significant restructuring which resulted in the loss of thousands of jobs in the city. This was to be the start of a long period or woe for the remaining inhabitants, those who choose to stay behind or those who were trapped by impending poverty. The well-off fled as the car manufacturers closed door after door. The city’s population rapidly declined to under 1,000,000 over the next four decades.

Left behind in the wake of the collapse of the regions primary industry were many splendid buildings built at the height of the boom. Many of the buildings still stand today as monuments to a golden age, but pose an ever increasing risk of collapse through abandonment, neglect and vandalism. Some of the more significant ruins include; Michigan Central station which closed in 1988 and Michigan theatre, parts of which now house a car park below its deteriorating ornate plaster moulds.

Some buildings have now begun to see some sparks of new like as new owners take over some of the buildings. For example, the owners of Michigan central station are considering their options for re-use, and there is examples of completed projects such as a ruined apartment being converted to a boutique hotel.

This movement doesn’t stick well with so called “ruin tourists” who have been flocking to Detroit over the last decade or so to visit and photograph these ‘modern’ ruins.

Theatre