Architects, Public Pick Wildly Differing Winners In Hudson’s Site Design Contest

The winning design for the former Hudsons site as chosen by the public.

DETROIT Rock Ventures LLC and Bedrock Real Estate Services Wednesday announced the winners of Opportunity Detroits international design competition which solicited ideas for a potential signature project on the former Hudsons Department Store site in downtown Detroit.

The three winning design ideas came from Rome, Italy; Kalamazoo; and Southfield. The nine-week competition was a free, open call for architects, designers, planners, artists, and community members to present ideas for innovative, creative, and inspired designs for the potential future use of one of the citys most iconic sites. The competition attracted nearly 200 entries from architectural and design firms, as well as individuals, from 23 states and 22 countries. (The winning entry from the architects is at upper left, the winning design from the public vote is below.)

Entrants were asked to create compelling visions for a new urban development on the vacant 92,421 square-foot site, bordered by Woodward Avenue, Gratiot Avenue, Grand River Avenue and Library Street in the heart of downtown Detroit.

From residential to retail, to concert venues and offices, the entries ran the gamut from a single story structure to a 1,000-foot high skyscraper, as entrants let their imaginations run wild. Some of the submissions pay homage to the original Hudsons Department Store by including its likeness in their design; one submission literally turned the store upside down, another included a completely green, sustainable and energy efficient building, and yet another included all made-in-Michigan materials.

The Hudsons Department Store was once the crown jewel of downtown Detroit, and these interesting designs are displaying the possibilities of what can certainly once again grace the skyline of Detroit, said Dan Gilbert, Chairman of Rock Ventures. By tapping into the talents of some of the most creative individuals from around the globe, we have the opportunity to create a signature project that captures the passion, grit and revival of our great American city.

Reed Kroloff, who led the competition to design the High Line in New York City and is Director of the Cranbrook Academy of Art and Art Museum near Detroit, served as the competitions advisor.

The Hudsons site represents a microcosm of Detroits 20th century muscle concentrated in and around one significant site, Kroloff said. Detroit was and still is ground-zero for innovation in so many ways. For example, Hudsons had one of the earliest Thanksgiving Day Parades, and its designers created stunning store windows that were among countless reasons Woodward Avenue was the place to shop and do business in Detroit.

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Architects, Public Pick Wildly Differing Winners In Hudson’s Site Design Contest