- Wirt C. Roland, 1929
- National Historic Landmark listed June 29, 1989
- National Register listed June 29, 1989
Nicknamed the “Cathedral of Commerce,” the Guardian Building is one of the most expressive Art Deco skyscrapers ever built. This 485 foot or 40 story building was built for $12 million for the Union Trust Company, but the company was unable to survive the stock market crash of 1929.
Designer Wirt C. Rowland was able to create a truly unique Art Deco-inspired ornamental scheme. Distinctive features of the exterior are tile cladding of triangles running in zig-zag bands of green and white, orange and white, and black and gold. The first six stories are covered in granite and stone. The main portion of the building is faced with an orange-tan colored brick which Wirt Rowland helped to formulate.
Another unusual decorative feature outside that is also repeated in some of the decoration inside is the use of the stepped or notched arch. This was made by the piling of large square or rectangular bricks or blocks one atop the other, instead of creating a curved or molded arch.
A semi-circular dome marks the entrance to the Guardian Building with tiles executed by Mary Chase Stratton of Pewabic Pottery who worked in close collaboration with architect Wirt Rowland on the design and symbolism of the tiles. Flanking either side of the dome are reliefs of “Safety” and “Security” by Detroit sculptor Carrardo Parducci.
Inside, the use of Italian travertine and black marble floors, ceiling paintings on horse hair canvas, and a large mural make this one of the grandest interiors in Michigan and Detroit. Ceiling tiles in the main lobby produced by Rookwood Pottery of Cincinnati and designed in a pattern of multi-colored interlocking hexagons.
The mosaic above the Main Lobby desk and mural at the far end of the banking hall are by Ezra Winter of New York. The mural highlight’s Michigan’s industries. Because Winter was a native of Manistee, Michigan, he drew from his own experience to create this work. Winter is best known for his mural in the grand foyer of Radio City Music Hall – another Art Deco masterpiece.
A Monel metal screen divides the lobby from the banking hall on the second floor. A clock in the center of that screen was executed by Tiffany Studios of New York. This same combination of Monel and Tiffany glass can be found in Dahlstrom elevator doors with Tiffany Favrile glass insets forming the initials “U.T”. Rookwood “reverse ziggurat” ceiling notches over the elevator doors add a Mayan flavor.
In 1942, the building was taken over by the United States Army and sold at auction in 1952. In 1975, the Guardian Building was sold to Michigan Consolidated Gas Company who undertook a total restoration. Later home of the Smith Group, this was the descendant firm of Smith, Hinchman, and Grylls that Rowland worked with when the building was originally built. The building has recently undergone a successful renovation that re-opened the grand hall to public access, which is now taken over partially by a bank, several retail stores, and the Rowland Café.
The Guardian Building is a must visit for any Art Deco aficionado when in Detroit.
Photo Credit: Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library
