Albert Kahn (March 21, 1869 – December 8, 1942) was an American architect noted for his collaborations with his brother

Julius Kahn Julius Kahn may refer to: *Julius Kahn (inventor) (1874–1942), engineer of reinforced concrete *Julius Kahn (congressman) (1861–1924), United States congressman {{Hndis, Kahn, Julius ...

in designing industrial plant complexes such as the Ford River Rouge automobile complex. Based in Detroit, he also designed skyscrapers, office buildings, and mansions in the city and suburbs, as well as many buildings at

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

Ann Arbor Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...

. Kahn has been called the "architect of Detroit" as the designer of nearly 900 buildings in the city. Kahn led an organization of hundreds of architect associates, and in 1937 designed 19% of all architect-designed industrial factories in the United States. Under a unique contract in 1929, he established a design and training office in Moscow, sending twenty-five staff there to train Soviet architects and engineers, and to design hundreds of industrial buildings under their first five-year plan. They trained more than 4,000 architects and engineers using Kahn's concepts. In 1943, the

Franklin Institute The Franklin Institute is a science museum and a center of science education and research in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is named after the American scientist and wikt:statesman, statesman Benjamin Franklin. It houses the Benjamin Franklin ...

posthumously awarded Kahn the Frank P. Brown Medal.

Early life and education

Kahn was born on March 21, 1869, to a

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

family in Rhaunen, in the

Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia (, ) was a German state that existed from 1701 to 1918.Marriott, J. A. R., and Charles Grant Robertson. ''The Evolution of Prussia, the Making of an Empire''. Rev. ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1946. It played a signif ...

, today in Germany. He received his early education in the school of

Luxembourg Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...

. At age twelve in 1881, Kahn immigrated with his family to

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

, Michigan. His father Joseph was trained as a rabbi; his mother Rosalie had a talent for the visual arts and music. Kahn had four brothers, including Moritz, who became an engineer, and

, an engineer and inventor, who later collaborated with him in his architectural firm. They also had two sisters, one of whom, Mollie Kahn Fuchs, who later worked closely with Julius to create a type of reinforced concrete that would later be patented. When the family immigrated to America, Kahn quickly learned English and went to Detroit public schools. In 1883, he got a job at the architectural business of Mason and Rice where he got his initial architectural training, working primarily on residences and bank buildings. In 1891, at age 22, Kahn won a Rotch Traveling Fellowship to study in Europe, where he toured Germany, France, Italy, and Belgium with fellow student Henry Bacon, who later designed the

Lincoln Memorial The Lincoln Memorial is a List of national memorials of the United States, U.S. national memorial honoring Abraham Lincoln, the List of presidents of the United States, 16th president of the United States, located on the western end of the Nati ...

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

Kahn married Ernestine Krolik in 1896 and they had four children. Ernestine would later briefly serve as a vice president in her husband's business, and often helped him with color and fabric selection in designs.

Career

Kahn left Mason and Rice in 1895, entering into a partnership with Alexander B. Trowbridge and George W. Nettleton known as Nettleton, Kahn & Trowbridge. In 1902, Kahn formed a partnership with his brother Julius, a civil engineer. Later that year, Julius developed a novel and scientific method of reinforcing concrete with steel, making reinforced concrete construction practical and economical. After receiving a patent on the "Kahn System" of construction in 1903, Julius left Kahn's firm and established the Trussed Concrete Steel Company, or Truscon, to market the product. Reinforced concrete allowed for much larger open spaces within factory interiors not obtainable with conventional wood construction and at a lower cost than steel frame construction. Concrete had other beneficial characteristics, such as far better protection from fire and greater load-bearing capacity. By 1905, hundreds of buildings within the United States were being constructed using the Kahn System, including the first reinforced concrete automobile plant, completed for the Cadillac Motor Car Company at 450 Amsterdam Street in TechTown, Detroit. Julius Kahn collaborated with his brother on the design of many industrial projects throughout the US constructed with reinforced concrete, particularly automobile factories, with the result that Kahn became widely known for his expertise in the construction of concrete industrial structures. Kahn was also responsible for designing many of the buildings and houses built under the direction of the Hiram Walker family in Walkerville, Ontario, including Willistead Manor. Kahn's interest in historically styled buildings is also seen in his houses in Detroit's Indian Village, the Cranbrook House, the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House, and The Dearborn Inn, the world's first airport hotel. Kahn's firm designed the

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

Fisher Building The Fisher Building is a List of National Historic Landmarks in Michigan, landmark List of tallest buildings in Detroit, skyscraper located at 3011 West Grand Boulevard in the heart of the New Center, Detroit, New Center area of Detroit, Michig ...

in Detroit's New Center area, a 28-story designated landmark. In 1929, the building was awarded a silver medal by the

Architectural League of New York The Architectural League of New York is a non-profit organization "for creative and intellectual work in architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construct ...

in the category of the year's most beautiful commercial building. From 1917 to 1929, Kahn's firm also designed the corporate headquarters for all three of the major Detroit daily newspapers and the General Motors building, at the time of its completion in 1922, the second largest office building in the world. His work was part of the architecture event in the art competition at the

1928 Summer Olympics The 1928 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the IX Olympiad (), was an international multi-sport event that was celebrated from 28 July to 12 August 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The city of Amsterdam had previously bid for ...

Michigan

Henry Ford Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was an American Technological and industrial history of the United States, industrialist and business magnate. As the founder of the Ford Motor Company, he is credited as a pioneer in making automob ...

became interested in Kahn's unique designs that showed many benefits. Ford had Kahn design

Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational corporation, multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. T ...

's Highland Park Ford Plant in 1909, for developing production techniques in the

assembly line An assembly line, often called ''progressive assembly'', is a manufacturing process where the unfinished product moves in a direct line from workstation to workstation, with parts added in sequence until the final product is completed. By mechan ...

of manufacturing the

Ford Model T The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by the Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is generally regarded as the first mass-affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class Americans. Th ...

on a large scale. In 1917, Kahn designed the half-mile-long

Ford River Rouge Complex The Ford River Rouge complex (commonly known as the Rouge complex, River Rouge, or The Rouge) is a Ford Motor Company automobile factory complex located in Dearborn, Michigan, along the River Rouge (Michigan), River Rouge, upstream from its c ...

Dearborn, Michigan Dearborn is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An inner-ring Metro Detroit, suburb of Detroit, Dearborn borders Detroit to the south and west, roughly west of downtown Detroit. In the 2020 United States ...

. That factory complex was developed into the largest manufacturing cluster of plants in the United States and later the largest industrial manufacturer in the world with a workforce of 120,000 employees. Kahn also designed many of what are considered the classic buildings of the

in the city of

. These include Angell Hall, Burton Memorial Tower, Hill Auditorium, Hatcher Graduate Library, and William L. Clements Library. Kahn said later in life that, of all the buildings he designed, he wanted most to be remembered for his work on the William L. Clements Library. Kahn frequently collaborated with architectural sculptor

Corrado Parducci Corrado Giuseppe Parducci (March 10, 1900 – November 22, 1981) was an Italian-American architectural sculpture, sculptor who was a celebrated artist for his numerous early-20th century works. Early life and education Parducci was born to Giuli ...

. In all, Parducci worked on about 50 Kahn commissions, including banks, office buildings, newspaper buildings, mausoleums, hospitals, and private residences. Kahn's firm was able to adapt to the changing needs of World War I and designed numerous army airfields and naval bases for the United States government during the war. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Kahn and his firm were in charge of several of the U.S. government's important construction projects that included aeronautical and tank arsenal plants. His 600-person office was involved in making Detroit industry part of America's

Arsenal of Democracy "Arsenal of Democracy" was the central phrase used by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in a Fireside chats, radio broadcast on the threat to national security, delivered on December 29, 1940—nearly a year before the United States entered t ...

. Among others, the office designed the

Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant Detroit Arsenal (DTA), formerly Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant (DATP) was the first manufacturing plant ever built for the mass production of tanks in the United States. Established in 1940 under Chrysler, the plant was owned by the U.S. government ...

, and the Willow Run Bomber Plant, Kahn's last building, located in

Ypsilanti, Michigan Ypsilanti ( ), commonly shortened to Ypsi ( ), is a college town and city located on the Huron River in Washtenaw County, Michigan, Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city's popu ...

. The Ford Motor Company mass-produced

Consolidated B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models desi ...

bombers here. In 1937, Albert Kahn Associates was responsible for 19% of all architect-designed industrial factories in the United States. In 1941, Kahn received the eighth-highest salary and compensation package in the U.S., $486,936, of which he paid 72% in tax. Kahn worked on more than 1,000 commissions from Henry Ford and hundreds from other automakers. Kahn designed showrooms for Ford Motor Company in several cities, including New York, Washington, D.C., and

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

. As of 2020, approximately 60 Kahn buildings were listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. Five of these (the

Ford River Rouge complex The Ford River Rouge complex (commonly known as the Rouge complex, River Rouge, or The Rouge) is a Ford Motor Company automobile factory complex located in Dearborn, Michigan, along the River Rouge (Michigan), River Rouge, upstream from its c ...

, Edsel and Eleanor Ford House, General Motors Building, and Highland Park Ford Plant) were designated

National Historic Landmarks A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

. Not all of Kahn's works have been preserved.

Cass Technical High School Cass Technical High School (simply referred to as Cass Tech) is a four-year Public magnet high school in Midtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. from the University Cultural Center Association, retrieved June 9, 1001 It was established in 19 ...

in Detroit, designed by Malcomson and Higginbotham and built by Kahn's firm in 1922, was demolished in 2011, after vandals had stripped it of most of its fixtures. The Donovan Building, later occupied by

Motown Records Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...

, was abandoned for decades and deteriorated. The city demolished it as part of its beautification plan before the 2006

Super Bowl XL Super Bowl XL was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion 2005 Seattle Seahawks season, Seattle Seahawks and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers season, Pittsburgh S ...

. In

Kalamazoo Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 73,598. It is the principal city of the Kalamazoo–Portage metropolitan are ...

, Michigan, the Kahn designed Checker Cab Manufacturing plant was shuttered following the bankruptcy of Checker Motors Corporation, in 2009. It was leveled in 2015. Fifteen Kahn buildings are recognized by official Michigan historical markers: * Battle Creek Post Office * The Dearborn Inn * Detroit Arsenal Plant in Warren, Michigan * Detroit Free Press Building * Detroit News Building * Detroit Urban League (Albert Kahn House) * Eastern Liggett School * Edsel & Eleanor Ford House *

* Ford Motor Company Lamp Factory * Grosse Pointe Shores Village Hall * Highland Park Ford Plant * Packard Automotive Plant * Packard Proving Grounds * Willow Run

In the Soviet Union

On May 8, 1929, through an agreement signed with Kahn by Saul G. Bron, President of Amtorg, the

Soviet government The Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was the executive and administrative organ of the highest body of state authority, the All-Union Supreme Soviet. It was formed on 30 December 1922 and abolished on 26 December 199 ...

contracted Albert Kahn Associates to help design the Stalingrad Tractor Plant, the first tractor plant in the

USSR The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

. On January 9, 1930, a second contract with Kahn was signed for his firm to become consulting architects for all industrial construction in the Soviet Union. Under these contracts, during 1929 to 1932 and the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

, Kahn's firm established a design and training bureau in

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

to train and supervise Soviet architects and engineers. This bureau, under the government's '' Gosproektstroi'', was headed by Moritz Kahn and 25 others of Kahn Associates staff, who worked in Moscow during this project. They trained more than 4,000 Soviet architects and engineers; and designed 521 plants and factories under the nation's first five-year plan.

Kahn-designed buildings

Below is a selected list of buildings designed by Kahn. All are located in Detroit unless otherwise indicated. * Dexter M. Ferry summer residence, 1890 (remodeling of an early 19th-century stone farmhouse), Unadilla, New York (known as Milfer Farm, held by Ferry heirs today; Kahn also designed the "Honeymoon Cottage" on the estate, one of the earliest prefabricated houses built) * Hiram Walker offices, 1892, designer for Mason & Rice,

Windsor, Ontario Windsor ( ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is situated on the south bank of the Detroit River directly across from the U.S city of Detroit, Detroit, Michigan. Geographically located within but administratively independent of Esse ...

* William Livingstone House, 1894 designer for Mason & Rice (demolished, 2007) * Children's Free Hospital, 1896, Nettleton, Kahn & Trowbridge * Bethany Memorial Church, 1897, Nettleton, Kahn & Trowbridge * Bernard Ginsburg House, 1898, Nettleton & Kahn * Joseph R. McLaughlin, 1899, Nettleton & Kahn * George Headley, 1900, Nettleton & Kahn * Edward DeMille Campbell House, 1899, Nettleton & Kahn

Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...

* Detroit Racquet Club, 1902 (Kahn designed the building, and the Vinton Company, whose offices were just down Woodbridge Street from the club, was awarded the general contract for erecting the facilities) * Frederick L. Colby, building permit issued 5/22/1901, finished 1902 * Packard Automotive Plant, 1903 (Kahn's tenth factory built for Packard, but first concrete one) * Palms Apartments, 1903 * Temple Beth-El, 1903 (Kahn's home synagogue, now the Bonstelle Theatre of

Wayne State University Wayne State University (WSU) is a public university, public research university in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1868, Wayne State consists of 13 schools and colleges offering approximately 375 programs. It is Michigan's third-l ...

) * Belle Isle Aquarium and Conservatory, 1904 * Francis C. McMath, building permit issued 8/14/1902 finished 1904 * Brandeis-Millard House, 1904, Gold Coast Historic District, Midtown

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

* Arthur Kiefer, building permit issued 5/17/1905, finished 1905 * Charles M. Swift, 1905 * Albert Kahn House, 1906 (his personal residence) * Burham S. Colburn, building permit issued 8/7/1905, finished 1906 * Gustavus D. Pope, 1906 * Julian C. Madison Building, 1906 * Allen F. Edwards, building permit issued 5/23/1906, finished 1906 * George N. Pierce Plant, 1906,

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...

* Willistead Manor, 1906, Windsor, Ontario * Battle Creek Post Office, 1907,

Battle Creek, Michigan Battle Creek is a city in northwestern Calhoun County, Michigan, United States, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo River, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek River, Battle Creek rivers. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a tota ...

(building featuring the concrete construction method used in Kahn's Packard plant) * Cranbrook House, 1907, Cranbrook Educational Community,

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan Bloomfield Hills is a city in Oakland County, Michigan, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A northern Metro Detroit, suburb of Detroit on the Woodward Corridor, Bloomfield Hills is located roughly northwest of downtown Detroit, and is ...

* Service Building for the Packard Motor Car Company, 1907, New York City * Frederick H. Holt House, 1907 * Highland Park Ford Plant, 1908,

Highland Park, Michigan Highland Park is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An enclave of Detroit, Highland Park is located roughly north of Downtown Detroit, and is surrounded by Detroit on most sides. As of the 2020 United ...

* Edwin S. George Building, 1908 * Kaufman Footwear Building, 1908,

Kitchener, Ontario Kitchener is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario, about west of Toronto. It is one of three cities that make up the Regional Municipality of Waterloo and is the regional Administrative centre, seat. Kitchener was known as Berlin until a ...

(renovated into lofts in the early 2000s) * Mahoning National Bank, 1909,

Youngstown, Ohio Youngstown is a city in Mahoning County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Ohio, 11th-most populous city in Ohio with a population of 60,068 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Mahoning ...

Frederick Stearns Building The Frederick Stearns Building is a manufacturing plant located at 6533 East Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1981. ...

addition, c. 1910 * Packard Motor Corporation Building, 1910–11,

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

* Chalmers automobile plant, building permit issued 11/6/1909, finished 1911 * Merganthaler Linotype Company Buildings, 1910s-1920s,

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

* National Theatre, 1911 * Shaw Walker Company, Five-story expansion, 1912,

Muskegon, Michigan Muskegon ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Muskegon County, Michigan, United States. Situated around a harbor of Lake Michigan, Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas, and boating. It is the most populous city along Lake Michigan' ...

* Bates Mill Building Number 5, 1914,

Lewiston, Maine Lewiston (; ) is the List of municipalities in Maine, second most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine, with the city's population at 37,121 as of the 2020 United States census. The city lies halfway between Augusta, Maine, Augusta, the sta ...

* Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant, 1914,

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...

( Cleveland Institute of Art since 1981) * Kales Building, 1914 * Liggett School-Eastern Campus, 1914 ( Detroit Waldorf School since 1964) * Benjamin Siegel, 1913-1914 * Detroit Athletic Club, 1915 * Garden Court Apartments, 1915
Buffalo Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant
1915,

* Vinton Building, 1916 * Russell Industrial Center, 1916 * Omaha Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant, 1916, North Omaha, Nebraska * Ford Motor Company - Assembly Plant, 1916, remodeled in 1924, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma * Belt Line Center - Manufacturing Plant, 1916, Detroit, Michigan *

The Detroit News ''The Detroit News'' is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United S ...

Building, 1917 * Ford Motor Company New York Headquarters, 1917, New York City *

, 1917–28,

* Multiple buildings and Aircraft Maintenance Hangars (Bldg 777&781), 1917–19, Langley Field,

Hampton, Virginia Hampton is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 137,148 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, seve ...

* Motor Wheel Factory, 1918,

Lansing, Michigan Lansing () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Michigan. The most populous city in Ingham County, Michigan, Ingham County, parts of the city extend into Eaton County, Michigan, Eaton County and nort ...

(It has been renovated into residential lofts) * General Motors Building, 1919 (former GM world headquarters and second largest office building in the world at that time) * Dominion Tire Plant, 1919, Kitchener, Ontario * Fisher Body Plant 23, 1919 * First Congregational Church addition, 1921 * Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant, 1921, Toronto, Ontario (redeveloped into

Shoppers World Danforth Shoppers World Danforth is a hybrid shopping plaza and shopping mall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It has 40 stores serving parts of East York, Scarborough and The Beaches, near the Victoria Park subway station. Today a moderately sized suburba ...

, 1962) * Phoenix Mill, 1921,

Plymouth, Michigan Plymouth is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A western suburb of Detroit, Plymouth is located roughly northwest of downtown Detroit, and northeast of Ann Arbor. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 9,370. ...

* First National Building, 1922 * Park Avenue Building, 1922 * Former Detroit Police Headquarters, 1923 * Temple Beth El, 1923 (a new building to replace the 1903 temple, currently occupied by the Bethel Community Transformation Center) * Walker Power Plant, 1923, Windsor, Ontario *

The Flint Journal ''The Flint Journal'' is a quad-weekly newspaper based in Flint, Michigan, owned by Booth Newspapers, a subsidiary of Advance Publications. Published Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, it serves Genesee, Lapeer and Shiawassee Counti ...

Building, 1924,

Flint, Michigan Flint is the largest city in Genesee County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. Located along the Flint River (Michigan), Flint River northwest of Detroit, it is a principal city within the Central Michigan, Mid Michigan region. Flin ...

* Olde Building, 1924 * Ford Motor Company assembly plant, Copenhagen, Denmark, 1924 * Ford Motor Company Lamp Factory, 1921–25, Flat Rock, Michigan * Detroit Free Press Building, 1925 * Kalamazoo Gazette Building, 1925 (now Bronson Hospital Laboratory) * 1001 Covington Apartments, 1925 * Blake Building, 1926,

Jackson, Michigan Jackson is a city in Jackson County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The population was 31,309 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located along Interstate 94 in Michigan, Interstate 94 and U.S. Route 127 in Michigan, U.S ...

* Ford Hangar, 1926, Lansing Municipal Airport,

Lansing, Illinois Lansing is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Lansing is a south suburb of Chicago. The population was 29,076 at the 2020 census. History The first family to settle in Lansing was that of August Hildebrandt in 1843. Henry, Georg ...

* Packard Motor Car Showroom and Storage Facility, c. 1926,

* Packard Proving Grounds, 1926, Shelby Charter Township, Michigan * Packard Showroom, 1926, New York City * Consumers Power Company headquarters, 1927,

(demolished, 2013) * S. S. Kresge World Headquarters, 1927 * Edsel & Eleanor Ford House, 1927, Grosse Pointe Shores,

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

, 1927
Buffalo Ford Motor Company Car Showroom
1927,

* Muskegon Chronicle Building, 1928,

* Argonaut Building 1928 (General Motors laboratory, now owned by the College for Creative Studies) * Brooklyn Printing Plant (New York Times), 1929, Brooklyn, New York City * Detroit Times Building, 1929 (demolished, 1978) * Griswold Building, 1929 * Packard Service Building, 1929, New York City * Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant, 1930,

Richmond, California Richmond is a city in western Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city was municipal corporation, incorporated on August 3, 1905, and has a Richmond, California, City Council, city council.

* Ford Engineering Laboratory and Powerhouse, 1930, Dearborn Michigan * New Center Building, 1930 (adjacent to the Fisher Building) * The Dearborn Inn, 1931, Dearborn, Michigan (world's first airport hotel) * Former

Congregation Shaarey Zedek Congregation Shaarey Zedek (/Help:IPA/English, ʃaʔaˈʁeiː ˈtsedek/; , Romanization, romanized: ''Sha'arei tzedek'', transl. 'Gates of Righteousness') is a Conservative Judaism, Conservative synagogue in the Detroit suburb of Southfield, Michi ...

Building, 1932 * Power Plant,

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac (known simply as Notre Dame; ; ND) is a Private university, private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a Cathol ...

Notre Dame, Indiana Notre Dame is a census-designated place and unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend in St. Joseph County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. It includes the campuses of three colleges: the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary's Co ...

, 1933 * General Motors Building, 1933, Chicago Century of Progress International Exposition * Ford Rotunda, 1934, Dearborn, Michigan (designed for the Chicago World's Fair; burned, 1963) * Ann Arbor Daily News Building, 1936, Ann Arbor, Michigan (now University of Michigan Credit Union) * Chevrolet/Fisher Body plant, Baltimore, Maryland, 1935 (demolished 2006) * Burroughs Adding Machine Plant, 1938, Plymouth, Michigan * Dodge Truck Plant, 1938,

Warren, Michigan Warren is a city in Macomb County, Michigan, Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An inner-ring Metro Detroit, suburb of Detroit, Warren borders Detroit to the north, roughly north of downtown Detroit. The population was 139,387 at the ...

, 1941, Warren, Michigan * Willow Run Bomber Plant, 1941 (used by Ford for bombers during the war, then by

Kaiser Kaiser ( ; ) is the title historically used by German and Austrian emperors. In German, the title in principle applies to rulers anywhere in the world above the rank of king (). In English, the word ''kaiser'' is mainly applied to the emperors ...

for cars, then by GM for transmissions) * Hangars 101 and 102, 1941 (constructed for patrol squadrons operating the

Consolidated PBY Catalina The Consolidated Model 28, more commonly known as the PBY Catalina (U.S. Navy designation), is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft designed by Consolidated Aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s. In U.S. Army service, it was designated as the OA- ...

aboard

Marine Corps Base Hawaii Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH), formerly Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay and originally Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay, is a United States Marine Corps, U.S. Marine Corps facility and air station located on the Mokapu Peninsula of windward ...

), Kaneohe, Hawaii * Hangars A and B (later renumbered 110 and 111), 1943, NAS Barbers Point,

Kapolei, Hawaii Kapolei () is a New town, planned community in the Honolulu County, Hawaii, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States, on the island of Oahu, Oʻahu. In 1977, the government designated it as the "second city" of Oʻahu, in relation ...

* Upjohn Tower,

Kalamazoo, Michigan Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 73,598. It is the principal city of the Kalamazoo–Portage metropolitan are ...

(designed for the Upjohn Company; demolished after

Pfizer Pfizer Inc. ( ) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation headquartered at The Spiral (New York City), The Spiral in Manhattan, New York City. Founded in 184 ...

buyout, 2005) * Studebaker Factory, Building 84, 1923, South Bend, Indiana * Cold Spring Granite Company Main Plant, 1929, Cold Spring, Minnesota (demolished 2008) * King Edward Public School, 1905, Walkerville Neighbourhood, Windsor, Ontario. (demolished 1993, original front stone facade saved) * General Motors Stamping Plant, 1930, Indianapolis, Indiana (demolished 2014) * Bedrock Woodward Building 1449 Woodward * Garden Court Apartments 2900 E. Jefferson

Buildings at the University of Michigan

Below are

campus structures built during Kahn's career. * Engineering Building (now West Hall), 1904 * Psychopathic Hospital (demolished), 1906 * Hill Auditorium, 1913 * Helen Newberry Residence Hall, 1915 * Natural Science Building (now School of Kinesiology Building), 1915 * Betsy Barbour Residence Hall, 1920 * General Library (now Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library), 1920 * William L. Clements Library, 1923 * Angell Hall, 1924 * Physical Science Building (now Randall Laboratory), 1924 * University Hospital (demolished), 1925 * Couzens Hall, 1925 * East Medical Building (previously C. C. Little Building, now North University Building), 1925 * Thomas H. Simpson Memorial Institute, 1927 * Alexander G. Ruthven Museums Building, 1928 * Burton Memorial Tower, 1936 * Neuropsychiatric Institute (demolished), 1938 Greek Organization Buildings: *

Sigma Phi The Sigma Phi Society () is an American college fraternity. Established in 1827 at Union College in Schenectady, New York, it was the second Greek letter Fraternities and sororities, fraternal organization founded in the United States. Sigma Phi ...

House (1900), 426 North Ingalls Street (demolished) * Delta Upsilon House (1903), 1331 Hill Street *

Triangle A triangle is a polygon with three corners and three sides, one of the basic shapes in geometry. The corners, also called ''vertices'', are zero-dimensional points while the sides connecting them, also called ''edges'', are one-dimension ...

House (1905–06), 1501 Washtenaw Avenue * Alpha Epsilon Phi House (1912), 1205 Hill Street * Psi Upsilon House (1924), 1000 Hill Street File:EdselFordHouseGarage.jpg, Edsel and Eleanor Ford House (1927) in

Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan Grosse Pointe Shores (officially Village of Grosse Pointe Shores, a Michigan City) is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, Wayne and Macomb County, Michigan, Macomb counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,647 at the 2020 United ...

File:Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory (3478836789).jpg, Belle Isle Conservatory (1904) in Belle Isle, Detroit File:BethEl1905.jpg, Temple Beth-El (1903) in Brush Park, Detroit File:First Congregational Church 1903.jpg, First Congregational Church addition (1921) in Midtown Detroit File:Willistead Manor, Windsor, Ontario, 2025-06-10.jpg, Willistead Manor (1906) in

File:Battle Creek Post Office.jpg, Battle Creek Post Office (1907) in

File:DetroitAthleticClubnew.JPG, Detroit Athletic Club (1915) in

Downtown Detroit Downtown Detroit is the central business district and a Neighborhoods in Detroit, residential area of the city of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Locally, "downtown" tends to refer to the 1.4 square mile region bordered by M-10 (Michigan high ...

File:Fisherb straighten.jpg,

(1927) in New Center, Detroit File:Vinton Building Detroit MI.jpg, Vinton Building (1916) in

File:Detroitkalesbldg.jpg, Kales Building (1914) in

File:First National Building, Detroit.jpg, First National Building (1922) in

File:AlbertKahnBuildingDetroit.jpg, New Center Building (1930) in New Center, Detroit File:Detroit Free Press Building 2011 05 08.jpg, Detroit Free Press Building (1925) in

File:ArgonautBuildingDetroit.jpg, Argonaut Building (1928) in New Center, Detroit File:GriswoldBuildingDetroit.jpg, Griswold Building (1929) in

File:Highland park plant 1.jpg, Highland Park Ford Plant (1908) in

File:River Rouge aerial 4a25915r.jpg,

(1917–28) in

Death and legacy

Kahn died in Detroit on December 8, 1942. Many of his personal working papers and construction photographs are housed at University of Michigan's Bentley History Library. His personal working library, the Albert Kahn Library Collection, is housed at

Lawrence Technological University Lawrence Technological University (Lawrence Tech, LTU) is a private university in Southfield, Michigan. It was founded in 1932 in Highland Park, Michigan, as the Lawrence Institute of Technology (LIT) by Russell E. Lawrence. The university moved ...

in Southfield, Michigan. The

Archives of American Art The Archives of American Art is the largest collection of primary resources documenting the history of the visual arts in the United States. More than 20 million items of original material are housed in the Archives' research centers in Washing ...

at the Smithsonian house most of the family's correspondence and other materials. The life and works of Kahn were celebrated in an exhibition of photographs, drawings, and models at the Detroit Institute of Arts from September 15 to November 1, 1970. It commemorated the 75th anniversary of the architectural firm which was founded by Kahn. Many of Detroit's leading industrialists who work in the buildings designed by Kahn were present at the celebration. A staff writer for the Times Herald newspaper in 1970 wrote that Kahn was often called the father of industrial architecture. He was referred to as Architect of the Colossal by

Reader's Digest ''Reader's Digest'' is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his wi ...

magazine. The science museum

in Philadelphia recognized him as an architectural pioneer and awarded him their gold medal. The

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach progr ...

awarded him two of their gold medals in his lifetime. The staff writer estimated that Kahn was the architect of two billion dollars worth of structures before his death in 1942. The committee on science and arts of the Detroit Institute of Arts noted that none of Kahn's discoveries were ever patented, but instead were placed in the hands of architects and engineers engaged in construction during World Wars I and II. The 184 page catalogue put in book form called ''The Legacy of Albert Kahn'' consists of two essays on the works of Kahn, one by W. Hawkins Ferry the architectural writer and Honorary Curator of Architecture at the Detroit Institute of Arts and another written by Walter B. Sanders as a Professor of Architecture at the

. ''Detroit Free Press'' writer and historian John Gallagher notes that Kahn produced 1900 buildings, among them being the

, the

General Motors General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...

headquarters, the

, and many buildings on the campus of the

. He points out that what was modern in 1920, like his automobile factories that he built between 1900 and 1920 were obsolete by 1990s standards and were being torn down. Some of his other buildings at that time no longer served the purpose for which they were constructed and were being remodeled for other uses.

References

Sources

* * * * * * * * * *

External links

Albert Kahn Research Coalition

Albert Kahn papers
from the Smithsonian

Historic Detroit — Albert Kahn

Albert Kahn papers 1896–2008
Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan.
Photos and drawings of Soviet Diesel Tractor Plant
Canadian Centre for Architecture
Energized Detroit, Savor an Architectural Legacy
— ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', March 26, 2018
Walkerville

Albert Kahn Associates

Edsel & Eleanor Ford House
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kahn, Albert American neoclassical architects American people of German-Jewish descent Art Deco architects Historicist architects 1869 births 1942 deaths Concrete pioneers Architects from Detroit Culture of Detroit Jewish architects 19th-century German Jews Emigrants from the German Empire to the United States People from Birkenfeld (district) People from the Rhine Province 20th-century American architects Art competitors at the 1928 Summer Olympics University of Michigan campus