Guardian Building, Detroit, 1979

Wirt Clinton Rowland (December 1, 1887 - November 30, 1946) was an American architect best known for his work in Detroit, Michigan. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (509x640, 54 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (509x640, 54 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... December 1 is the 335th (in leap years the 336th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 31 days remaining. ... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Architect at his drawing board, 1893 An Architect is a person who is involved in the planning, designing and oversight of a buildings construction. ... Nickname: Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County  - Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Area    - City 370. ...

Biography

Rowland was born and grew up in Clinton, Michigan and in 1901 landed a job as an office boy for the Detroit firm of Rogers & MacFarlane, quickly moving on to the prestigious George D. Mason firm. In 1909 he joined the office of Albert Kahn, who had also apprenticed under Mason. In 1910, with the encouragement of both Mason and Kahn, Rowland attended the Harvard Graduate School of Design in Cambridge, MA for a year. Clinton is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Michigan: Clinton Charter Township, Michigan in Macomb County, Michigan Clinton County, Michigan Clinton Township, Lenawee County, Michigan Clinton Township, Oscoda County, Michigan Village of Clinton, Lenawee County, Michigan This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid... Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes - this motto was adopted after the disastrous 1805 fire that devastated the city) Nickname: The Motor City and Motown Location in Wayne County, Michigan Founded Incorporated July 24, 1701 1815  County Wayne County Mayor... Year 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Albert Kahn (March 21, 1869 — December 8, 1942) was the foremost American industrial architect of his day. ... The Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) is a graduate school at Harvard University offering degrees in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning and Design. ... Shown within Cambridgeshire Geography Status: City (1951) Region: East of England Admin. ...

The combination of Rowland's natural design talent, his Harvard education and Detroit's healthy economy positioned him to make major contributions to the city's architectural stock. Rowland is a case study in the problem of design attribution. In 1911, in the office of Kahn, he and Ernest Wilby are said to be primarily responsible for the Hill Auditorium on the campus of the University of Michigan. Through 1915 Rowland worked for the local firm of Malcomson & Higginbotham, then returned to Kahn's office to contribute to some of Kahn's classic projects of the time, namely the Hatcher Graduate Library at the University of Michigan, the Detroit News Building, the 1922 First National Bank Building, and the 1922 General Motors Building, now called Cadillac Place. Hill Auditorium in early spring. ... The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (UM or U of M) is a coeducational public research university in the U.S. state of Michigan. ... The First National Bank Building in Albuquerque. ... Cadillac Place is an enormous office building in the New Center section of Detroit, Michigan. ...

Rowland's career peaked as Head Designer of Smith Hinchman & Grylls (now SmithGroup) in the years 1922 through 1930, where he is clearly credited with a dozen major structures in downtown Detroit, a number that includes the most accomplished and evocative buildings in the city. To a large extent Rowland built Detroit. The climax is the Union Trust / Guardian Building. In the Guardian Building Rowland integrated the work of multiple artisans, mosaicists, sculptors (notably Corrado Parducci), painters and tile manufacturers to synthesize an architectural experience comparable to the collaborative effect of a medieval cathedral, hence its name "the Cathedral of Finance". Smith Hinchman & Grylls was founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1853, and was reputedly the first architectural firm in the United States. ... The Guardian Building The buildings lavish interior The Guardian Building is a historic skyscraper in downtown Detroit, Michigan. ... Corrado Giuseppe Parducci (March 10, 1900 - November 22, 1981) was an American architectural sculptor. ...

Unfortunately the Guardian Building opened in 1930, just as the Great Depression hit the city, and Rowland formed his own office. His work decreased to a small number of churches, schools, and construction projects, and late in life he returned to a purer Gothic idiom for his last few projects. He died in 1946. The Great Depression was a worldwide economic downturn which started in October of 1929 and lasted through most of the 1930s. ... Gothic architecture is a style of architecture, particularly associated with cathedrals and other churches, which flourished in Europe during the high and late medieval period. ...

Designs for Smith Hinchman & Grylls

• Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian Church, Detroit, Michigan (1925)
• Buhl Building, Detroit, Michigan (1925)
• Bankers' Trust Building, Detroit, Michigan (1925)
• Grand Rapids Trust Building, Grand Rapids, Michigan (1926)
• Michigan Bell Building, (1927)
• Penobscot Building, Detroit, Michigan (1928)
• Union Trust / Guardian Building, Detroit, Michigan (1929)

Nickname: Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County  - Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Area    - City 370. ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Buhl Building is a Neo-Gothic skyscraper in Detroit, Michigan. ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Nickname: Location of Grand Rapids within Kent County, Michigan Coordinates: Country United States State Michigan County Kent  - Mayor George Heartwell Area    - City 45. ... Year 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar). ... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Penobscot Building (left) The Penobscot Building is a skyscraper in downtown Detroit, Michigan. ... Year 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ... The Guardian Building The buildings lavish interior The Guardian Building is a historic skyscraper in downtown Detroit, Michigan. ... Nickname: Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County  - Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Area    - City 370. ... 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

External links

• Wirt Clinton Rowland from the Historical Society of Clinton