International architecture and urbanism practice OMA has transformed a former bakery and warehouse in Detroit’s East Village neighborhood into an adaptive reuse project.
This mixed-use community center, called LANTERN, focuses on the arts and education, aiming to extend the city’s cultural revival into the neighborhoods. The project marks OMA’s first work in the city.
Led by Jason Long of OMA New York, the project involves the renovation of a building that served as the headquarters for the Blue Bird Baking Company from 1929 to the 1960s. Covering an area of 2,072 square meters, the building has been revitalized with functions such as artist studios, gallery spaces, a café, and a boutique.
The project reimagines three interconnected structures built at different times between the 1920s and 1960s. OMA preserved the original brick and concrete block walls while adding various architectural touches. An area with a missing roof and end wall was transformed into a semi-open communal space. Additionally, a white-painted lattice referencing the building’s original metal rafters, along with terracotta stair treads, adds aesthetic depth to the courtyard. In the south building, 1,353 holes were drilled and filled with cylindrical glass blocks, allowing the structure to emit light at night, turning it into the LANTERN.
LANTERN is a project developed for the Library Street Collective art gallery and contributes to Detroit’s creative revival. OMA blended modern materials with the original fabric of the building, transforming it into a space that is both functional and aesthetically striking.
