Midwest Modern

Make your way to our historic downtown hotel built in 1924 as a cornerstone of what was planned as “the 5th Avenue of the Midwest.” Now restored to evoke the glamour of that era, it serves as the perfect base for our weekend exploration of art, design and architecture. Meet your Frank Lloyd Wright Trust tour leaders and fellow travelers in the afternoon for a walking tour of downtown Detroit, including its stunning Art Deco skyscrapers. First up is the 36-story landmark Guardian Building, built in 1929 for the Union Trust Co. and designed by Wirt C. Rowland, featuring a soaring three-story, vaulted lobby lavishly decorated with Pewabic and Rookwood tile. Next, see the Penobscot Building, which, at 47 stories, was the fourth highest building in the United States when it was completed in 1924. This classic Art Deco skyscraper was developed for the Murphy family, who had roots along the Penobscot River in Maine and made their fortune in the 19th century Michigan lumber trade.

In the evening, get to know your fellow guests during an elegant Welcome Dinner.
The Westin Book Cadillac Hotel Detroit, D 

After breakfast on your own, we head to Cranbrook, in Bloomfield Hills, for the entire day. Established by publishing mogul George Booth, who purchased the 319-acre site in 1904, Cranbrook grew to become one of the leading centers for art and design, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989 for its unique architecture and design.

It is thanks to the Booths—who were influenced by the English Arts and Crafts Movement—and Finnish-American designer Eliel Saarinen, Cranbrook’s first resident architect and the Art Academy’s first president, for the integrated beauty of the campus. He choreographed much of the development that now constitutes the Cranbrook Educational Community, including the Academy of Art, Cranbrook Museum of Art, and the Cranbrook School Dining Hall.

Saarinen House, the architect’s home and studio from 1930 through 1950, is the architect’s Art Deco masterwork and the jewel of Cranbrook’s architectural treasures. Designed in the late 1920s, the extraordinary interior—now impeccably restored—features the family’s original furnishings, including Eliel’s delicately veneered furniture and his wife Loja’s sumptuous textiles, as well as elements designed by their daughter, Pipsan, and son, Eero.

Our visit also includes Cranbrook House and Gardens, Cranbrook Art Museum, and the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Smith House, home to a rich collection of 20th-century decorative objects. School teachers Sara Stein Smith and Melvyn Maxwell Smith met Wright at Taliesin in 1941 and commissioned this excellent example of his Usonian ideal, which aimed to build quality houses for the American middle class.

Return to the hotel to enjoy some rest, and an evening at leisure.
The Westin Book Cadillac Hotel Detroit, L

After breakfast on your own, visit the Detroit Institute of Arts, a Beaux-Arts monument devoted to artistic excellence. Designed by Philadelphia architect Paul Philippe Cret, the museum opened in 1927 and was “dedicated by the people of Detroit to the knowledge and enjoyment of art.” Take an introductory tour of the splendid collection, fueled by the community of collectors that developed in early-20th-century Detroit. The highlight is Diego Rivera’s incredible Detroit Industry Murals (1932–33).

After lunch at a nearby restaurant, a short drive takes us to Pewabic Pottery—a leading Arts and Crafts pottery and tile maker—in business since 1903. Started by artist and teacher Mary Chase Perry Stratton, the pottery can be seen in a 1907 Tudor Revival building designed by her husband, William Buck Stratton. Tour the facility, which contains a working studio and museum, to see how the beautiful tiles we’ll see were made.

Return to the hotel for some time to relax before our festive Farewell Dinner at the privately-owned Dorothy G. Turkel House, designed in 1955 by Frank Lloyd Wright. This stunning and iconic residence features a spacious, open “music room” with 15-foot ceilings: Walls of concrete blocks set with hundreds of pieces of glass fill the room with light.  Enjoy views of the garden—which Wright declared the most important room of the house. We are invited by the owners, who painstakingly restored the remarkable house and brought the garden back to life after purchasing the property in a state of disrepair in 2006. Enjoy cocktails and dinner, and watch the house transform into a glowing lantern of warmth in the waning light.
The Westin Book Cadillac Hotel Detroit, L, D

After breakfast on your own, check out of the hotel and depart for the Detroit airport. On the way, we will visit the Gregor S. & Elizabeth B. Affleck House in Bloomfield Hills, the first Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house built in the Detroit metropolitan area. It represents one of the finest examples of the architect’s Usonian style and was designed to exist in harmony with the home’s site and nature. The house is now owned by Lawrence Technological University.

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Daily Itinerary subject to change.