Detroit Institute of Arts
Steel Window Restoration
Historical Background
The Detroit Institute of Arts was built in 1927 and designed by Paul Philippe Cret in the Beaux-Arts, Italian Renaissance architectural style. Located in Midtown Detroit, Michigan, it has one of the largest and most significant art collections in the United States, with over 100 galleries and covering over 658,000 square feet. The original building is flanked by north and south wings with white marble as the primary exterior facade material with cast steel windows allowing daylight into the building. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places.
BlackBerry's Role
- Provided on-site analysis of existing steel gallery windows, cataloging all parts and components for restoration.
- Performed on-site restoration of Theatre Gallery windows in lobby area, fully stripped, abatement of asbestos material and lead paint, fully re-glazed, and painted both interior and exterior surfaces.
- Work included epoxy consolidation of steel components and supplied and installed tinted (sun control) laminated glass.
Current Use
The Museum is fully opened to the public; the 1,100-seat theatre designed by architect C. Howard Crane is welcoming regular events. The estimated value of art is over $8.1 billion dollars and consists of over 65,000 works.
Project Team
- Owner: Detroit Institute of Arts
- Construction Manager: BlackBerry Systems.
- Completed 2010
