Detroit (U.S. state of Michigan): New skyscraper reached its final height at 207m

A 207-meter-high skyscraper, designed by the New York studio Shop Architects at Detroit's Hudson's Detroit project, has reached its full height this week, becoming the second tallest building in the city. The Tower is part of a larger development in Downtown Detroit called Hudson's Detroit. Detroit is a city that has undergone significant decline since the 1960s.

The construction began on the site in 2017, initially under a different design by Shop Architects featuring a chimney-stack structure. The building will house residential units and a hotel, while the adjacent structure will contain retail and office spaces.

Upon completion, the Tower will feature a series of slender, flat volumes arranged in a pyramid-like fashion as it rises, with a unified glass facade accented by vertical terracotta fins. In addition, part of the Hudson's Detroit development, funded by local developers Bedrock, also includes a 14-story volume connected to the skyscraper via an underground parking garage.

A crucial aspect of the tower's design was to separate it from the rest of the Hudson's Detroit development, allowing people to access and experience all sides of the building while emphasizing its slim form, according to Shop Architects principal Bill Sharples. This decision also enabled the creation of a new public space at the heart of the site.

It should be mentioned that the development was named after the former Hudson's Department Store. Specifically, the store, completed in 1946 as the tallest department store in the world, was subjected to the largest controlled implosion in history upon its demolition in 1998.

Bedrock has been leading the revitalization of historic buildings, such as the city's Book Tower. In all, the Hudson's project aims to further solidify Detroit's reputation as a world-class city and create an iconic destination for the local community, global businesses, flagship retailers, international tourists, and future residents.