Michigan Modern: Design That Shaped America is an impressive collection of introductory essays touching on all aspects of Michigan’s architecture and design heritage.
The Great Lakes State has always been known for its contributions to twentieth-century manufacturing. Still, it’s only beginning to receive wide attention for its modern design and architectural contributions. Brian D. Conway, Michigan’s State Historic Preservation Officer, and Amy L. Arnold, project manager for Michigan Modern, have curated nearly thirty essays and interviews from several prominent architects, academics, architectural historians, journalists, and designers, including historian Alan Hess, designers Mira Nakashima, Ruth Adler Schnee, and Todd Oldham, and architect Gunnar Birkerts, describing Michigan’s contributions to Modern design in architecture, automobiles, furniture and education.