Huntington Tower: Placemaking & Wayfinding the Rebirth of District Detroit

District Detroit heralded the latest addition to its long and storied historic American neighborhood. Huntington Tower stands as a shiny beacon, welcoming all to the revitalization of the City of Detroit.

When it came time for Huntington Bank to plan the offices for their team and customers in Detroit, they had a few major goals in mind. First they wanted a space that would welcome their team back into the office; creating a sense of place invoking a feeling of connection and camaraderie with staff and customers alike. In addition, they wanted to substantially support the community of Detroit with the quest to remake itself into the business and residential powerhouse of its past.

To assist them with these goals, Huntington Bank and Neumann Smith Architects enlisted the help of Wayfinding, Branding and Placemaking firm Selbert Perkins Design. Utilizing the universal wayfinding element of “You Are Here”, SPD developed the project’s central theme of “Welcome”; Celebrating the spirit of Detroit and Huntington’s place within it.

Creating branded environments is all about storytelling—it’s an authentic story of the People, Place and Purpose. To convey this story, SPD used many elements including black and white photographs of the city throughout the building, providing an experiential, spatial bridge connecting the tower and the community it serves.

“Environmental graphics have the power to really enliven the experience of the space and create a company’s brand within it.” — John Lutz, Partner, Selbert Perkins Design

One of the most spectacular elements is a dimensional wall map, detailing the City of Detroit. SPD envisioned a masterplan of environmental graphic touch points, that included dimensional formats, static imagery, branded patterns and quotes, all anchored by this dimensional map of Greater Detroit—unfolding into the workspace with stories of its history, architecture, music and most of all, people.

The “Welcome” letters grow out of the cityscape of Detroit—unveiling the down to earth spirit of the city and it’s constituents. Standing at 12’ by 20’ and intricately detailed, it envelopes visitors with a visceral sense of place; welcoming the Huntington Bank team to their new home in both building and community.

”We wanted to create something significant visually, contextually and most importantly, a story steeped in the rich historical and cultural substance that speaks to the significance of Detroit. The map permeates throughout the environment, embracing and welcoming all to the community.” — Chris Wong, Principal, Selbert Perkins Design

Situated within the District of Detroit, Huntington Tower has claimed its place along side its predecessors, as a destination which attracts all those who are seeking to bring their dreams, hopes and ambitions to fruition.

Selbert Perkins Design is delighted to have assisted Huntington Bank to not only produce a world-class building, also in fostering the pride and camaraderie of being together again and the rebirth of Detroit, as they proudly continue to reinvent and rebuild their beautiful city.

“Selbert Perkins Design is a fantastic team player - responsive, reliable, and loyal. They strive for the best and consistently deliver unique solution-based designs that work within budget. Their creativity and innovation have helped distinguish our mixed-use development, City Creek Center, as a landmark destination”

“Rebranding is a real process - it’s not going to happen overnight – and Selbert Perkins Design has been with us every step of the way. Although we work with a bi-coastal team, it feels like we are their only client and that they are right around the corner. They have completely immersed themselves in our culture. Here in Lancaster, we wanted to make a statement and create a more positive perception. We went through an extensive community outreach process - stakeholders were informed, aware, and interviewed – and because of that, they feel a sense of ownership that has really made the brand take hold. The team at Selbert Perkins (Cliff, Sheri, and Cory) listened and led us through that creative decision-making process with ease.”

“We have worked with Selbert Perkins design on several projects over the last decade, including an interior and exterior wayfinding master plan for our entire campus. They are flexible and adaptable, able to listen to our needs and respond with creative solutions. SPD’s project management, understanding of best practices, and knowledge of materials, and install methods has kept us on track and on budget. They have become a true partner we can trust with large and small projects of all kinds.”

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Selbert Perkins Design is an international design firm specializing in the integration of Branding, Wayfinding, and Placemaking that drives economic success for our clients.

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