Welcome Back to Hudson’s” reads a large sign on the side of the new Hudson’s building in downtown Detroit. At the nearby Woodward entrance, the large windows echo those that once enticed shoppers, and they feature displays of vintage items including the original building’s brass marker, the store’s signature khaki-colored boxes, a fitting room sign, and a restaurant menu. The installation by the Detroit Historical Society also contains two placards explaining the beloved building’s history, including the fact that the world’s tallest department store once filled an entire block and employed approximately 12,000 people. The building, it asserts, was “an emotional landmark as much as a physical one.”
Pophouse senior designer Lauren Minch was too young to remember or visit the original Hudson’s, which was imploded in 1998, but her mother shared memories of growing up in Detroit and the role the iconic building played downtown and in the hearts of the city’s residents. Minch and her colleagues at Pophouse were tasked with the interior design of the building’s common spaces, which she says included 32,500 square feet that comprise “anything outside of tenant areas,” including an impressive courtyard/atrium, the lobby, and a 10,500-square-foot Rec Room. They were also responsible for selecting the furniture, fixtures, and equipment in The Department, a 56,000-square-foot, three-level event space.
Photography by John D’Angelo.
While Pophouse has worked with many downtown office buildings and tenants, Hudson’s was both a special opportunity and a challenge, Minch says. “The original site was innovative and forward for its time, so we wanted to continue that and do something that felt different than any other space in downtown.” The goal, she says, “was to tie the interior design into the architecture so everything felt seamless.” Playing off the building’s modern style, they emphasized a contemporary feeling in public spaces with a warmer palette and softer approach, she says. Acoustical bamboo wall panels in the atrium, complementary greenery, and very clean finishes throughout add continuity and fit the shared goal of bringing wellness principles to office spaces — as does the repetition of organic shapes and forms, Minch explains. Detroit’s legendary grit also played a part, she says, and is reflected in the bronze and stainless-steel metal finishes, which are nods to the city’s industry and ingenuity. The palette is “intentionally neutral,” she says, so tenants can add their own personal touches and brand.
One exception is the Rec Room, which features “fully saturated and color-drenched” tones chosen to reflect the building’s past. “The terracotta and burgundy tones in the Rec Room tie back into the marbles that were in the original building,” Minch explains, adding that Pophouse and Bedrock pored over photos from the Detroit Historical Society for ideas and inspiration. “The overall goal was finding balance and honoring the legacy while being forward-thinking.”
James Witherspoon, senior vice president of architecture and design at Bedrock, agrees. He lived in the Lofts at Merchant Row, across the street on Woodward, during the early construction phase and watched the building rise from his window. “We recognized the importance of the site to the city at large,” he says of the project and its team. “This feels like it was meant to be here.”
Art Deco influences are another nod to the original building. “We tried to pull them in and lean into the verticality,” Minch notes, citing the building’s exterior reflective finishes and neon as starting points for some of the interior design. Challenges included the terrazzo used on the floors, which went through several reiterations, and working with the vast heights in spaces such as the courtyard atrium on the building’s fifth floor. “We wanted people to still feel welcome and grounded,” she says. “We also wanted spaces to age gracefully and beautifully.”
Pophouse started working on the building during and right after COVID, Minch says — a fact that played a role in the importance of communal spaces. People were coming back to the office, she says, and some workers weren’t thrilled with the idea. “We built in a lot of flexible and hospitality-style amenities that people wouldn’t get at home, to draw them back in,” she says. The multipurpose Rec Room includes a residential-style living room, bookshelves that feature memorabilia from Hudson’s and Detroit’s iconic sports teams, and a spacious kitchenette with dramatic views of downtown. Also featured is a sports suite, with a multi-sport simulator, pickleball court, and fitness center. Other wellness-focused spaces include the light- and plant-filled central atrium with a food and beverage kiosk that provides a break from the office environment. “It’s a chance to step away from the day-to-day work routine for a moment of respite,” Minch explains.
She describes the five-year process as “very collaborative” and praises building owner Bedrock’s passion for the project. “It was a labor of love for everyone involved,” she says. She first walked the space when it wasn’t even enclosed, she says, and is thrilled to see the project near its end stages. “It’s exciting to see it all coming together,” she shares, adding that although it’s not Pophouse’s largest project, it’s definitely one of the more impactful ones. “Our team is very happy with the final design and eager to share the project with the rest of the city.” 
MORE INFORMATION: pophousedesign.com
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