Kahn, Albert, House

Albert Kahn, the well-known industrial architect, was born at Rhaunen, Westphalia, Germany in 1869. He became the first of three architects who gave Michigan its international reputation. Kahn was primarily an industrial architect and did for the factory what Sullivan did for the skyscraper and what Frank Lloyd Wright did for the private residence. His great forte was industrial plants, to the construction of which he brought many principles revolutionary in the day of their first application. Models of their kind are to be found on five continents. He designed more than 150 buildings for General Motors, in addition to being Packard's architect for thirty-nine years, Ford's for thirty-four years, and Chrysler's for seventeen years. His fame spread to Europe. For the Soviet Government, he built more than 500 plants and factories and organized technical schools to produce engineers and mechanics to run them. In the United States during World War II, he designed the majority of the Army Air Fields and Naval bases. He was quite successful in commercial work and in designing public and educational buildings. For many years he served as Consulting Architect to the Regents of the University of Michigan. Kahn received many honors and awards, among them degrees of Doctor of Law from the University of Michigan, Doctor of Fine Arts from Syracuse University, the title of Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor, the Gold Medal of the International Exposition of Arts and Science in Paris in 1937, and a special award of the American Institute of Architects for his work in the American war effort.

Albert Kahn designed and built his private residence in 1906 on Mack Avenue at John R. in the central area of Detroit. It is of the English Renaissance style, constructed with stone trim on the lower half, and stucco above with a slate roof. It is two stories with an attic and dormer windows. The detailed carving on the front door was designed by Kahn. The house is completely soundproof and fireproof. Wood paneling, in Elizabethan style, was used in the stair hall, reception room, dining room, and to enhance the mantel effect in the living room. A mullioned bay window with leaded sash provided a view of the garden. The den was finished in half timber and half plaster. The first floor contained the kitchen, a small china closet serving room, and a servant's room off the rear service stair. The second floor houses five bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a sewing room. In 1921 an additional bathroom was built to serve the master bedroom. The attic, which originally contained one extra servant room, was later used to house two rooms and a bath. By 1928, a large gallery was added on the southwest corner of the first floor, off the living room. The gallery was beautifully paneled in Elizabethan style and had an ornamental plaster ceiling. A new garage was added to accommodate at least six vehicles. The second floor over the gallery provided space for a new bedroom, den, and bath. A servant's room and bath were built over the west end of the garage. The dining room was also enlarged at this time, with a new bay window built at the south end.