Things to do nearGuardian Building

Completed in 1929 and designed by Wirt Rowland of the Smith, Hinchman and Grylls firm, the Guardian Building stands as one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in the United States. Rowland conceived the tower as a cathedral of finance, blending modern ambition with handcrafted ornament at a scale rarely attempted before or since. The building reaches 40 stories and was briefly the tallest in Detroit upon its completion.

The lobby is the undisputed heart of the experience. Pewabic Pottery, the beloved Detroit ceramics studio, supplied thousands of glazed tiles that form sweeping geometric compositions across the ceiling vaults and walls. Numidian marble from North Africa lines the corridors, and the color palette of saffron, rust, and cream feels unlike anything produced by later eras of commercial construction.

Guided tours run regularly and take visitors through spaces not always visible from the public corridors, including upper-floor details and archival photography that traces the building's history from Union Trust headquarters to its current mixed-use life. The building hosts offices, a food hall, and rotating events that keep it active year-round.

For anyone drawn to American architectural heritage, the Guardian Building offers a rare chance to stand inside a work that has only grown more remarkable with age.