THE MURRAY

Client

Real Estate Interests, LLC.

TYPE

Commercial, Multi-Family Housing

Collaborators

Shelter Design Studio, LLC.

Photographs BY Brett Mountain Unless Otherwise Noted

location

Southwest Detroit, MI

Originally built around 1916, The Murray stood vacant for nearly twenty years…until one day, a group of high school students approached Mayor Duggan with safety concerns about walking past the abandoned building on their way to and from school. Shortly after, renovation plans led by Detroit native and developer W. Emery Matthews of Real Estate Interests, LLC. began to unfold.

GOAL:

The goal of this project was to draw inspiration from both the past and the present to breathe new life into an abandoned structure that was once a bustling multi-family housing unit.

SOLUTION:

Our design solution to restore The Murray to its former glory, we found ways to marry the design aesthetic of the original building with representation of today’s community. The Murray was built in a time when Art Deco design and neo-classical architecture movements were at their peak, so we embraced the challenge of enhancing previous historic details rather than starting anew. To honor and celebrate the community now residing in Hubbard Farms, we looked to Statistical Analysis to learn that it is one of few predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods in Detroit. With this in mind, we drew inspiration from traditional Hispanic artwork and textiles.

CONCLUSION:

Thanks to shared common interests and an understanding and appreciation for the history and culture of a space, we worked with Matthews to transform The Murray into a positive force in the community and a way for the community to showcase its spirit and resilience. This project reinforced how satisfying it can be when developers and designers come together to co-collaborate and co-create in a design situation. An outcome like this requires far more than just a presentation of pretty spaces. We are so happy that Matthews came to us as a trusted partner!