New Headquarters
Library Street Collective and Louis Buhl & Co. co-founders Anthony & JJ Curis announce new headquarters for Louis Buhl & Co. in the East Village neighborhood of Detroit, set to open in late 2024. Based in Los Angeles with an outpost in Detroit, architecture firm Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects (LOHA) have been selected for the development, which will serve as an extension of the programming at the Shepherd (located adjacent), and the surrounding grounds undergoing transformation into a multi-disciplinary arts and culture campus set to open in Spring 2024.
The development will welcome a new gallery uniquely tailored towards the business’s multifaceted programming, as well as Louis Buhl & Co.’s first in-house production studio. This monumental addition, which will be managed by a resident master printer, will break new ground in Louis Buhl & Co.'s programming, vastly expanding the opportunity available for artists’ first-hand involvement in the printing process, while nurturing a greater space for experimentation, collaboration and education. Plans for the permanent relocation come at a time of rapid growth for the gallery, as of 2023, Louis Buhl & Co. announces its first artists of representation, Detroit-based painters Davariz Broaden and Olivia Guterson.
The site at 1317 McClellan Avenue is home to a former convent that was historically associated with the Good Shepherd Catholic Church, soon to be a cultural arts center called the Shepherd which lies at the heart of Library Street Collective’s expansion into Detroit’s East Village. The design of the complex consists of a main structure which includes the reception area and retail space, the production studio, and the new gallery/exhibition space. A private building next to the main structure will be used for Louis Buhl & Co.’s facilities and archive. Existing, freestanding historic elements will be incorporated into the overall design of the main building with the addition of an outdoor courtyard, providing productive space for artists and a welcoming atmosphere for visitors. The gallery space will be enclosed with translucent polycarbonate panels, and will combine lightness and durability, a compliment to the weathered brick of the existing façade. Its translucence will create an atmospheric beacon at night, creating a distinct identity and offering a unique canvas for artists. The lighting design will be developed as a dynamic installation with the potential to transform over time.
“We’re thrilled to announce this latest addition to the cultural district in the East Village: a new home for our expanding gallery Louis Buhl & Co and another outlet in the community for supporting artists. Lorcan O’Herlihy and his team’s enthusiasm for what’s happening in the neighborhood was evident from the start, and we have the utmost confidence in their vision for this next chapter of the gallery,” says Anthony and JJ Curis.
Excited by the ambitious community arts project at large and the budding energy of the neighborhood, LOHA has bought a building down the street from the development with plans to activate a new office in Detroit. “The opportunity to team up with Anthony Curis, Library Street Collective & Louis Buhl and Co. to contribute to this extraordinary multi-disciplinary arts and culture campus is immensely exciting. The varied programming, as well as Louis Buhl & Co.’s first in-house production studio will provide a wonderful gathering space for the East Village,” said Lorcan O'Herlihy, founding principal of Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects (LOHA)
Construction on the site is expected to be completed in late 2024. Once completed, Louis Buhl & Co. will join the Shepherd, Library Street Collective, LANTERN, Bridgehouse, the Charles McGee Legacy Park, a skatepark designed by Tony Hawk and McArthur Binion, the Modern Ancient Brown Foundation, Signal-Return, Progressive Art Studio Collective and a multitude of businesses to be announced, becoming the newest anchor in the East Village neighborhood.