Detroit Institute of Arts Is a Rare Gem in a City That Has Struggled to Solve the Big Problems of Its Economy
The annual celebration of the architecture of Robert Venturi and Philip Johnson — two New York City schoolteachers and architects who were awarded the 1988 AIA Gold Medal — was organized by the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
“They’re both dead and gone, but we still use their name as the name of our organization with great pride,” said Michael McMonigle, the chapter president who brought the organization to the public arena for the event. “This is an opportunity for us to honor them with the Gold medal that they so generously gave us during their lifetime.”
As the event opened, a number of local professionals — both men with ties to the area and architects from out of town — were seated at a table at the back of the event. A few years ago, many of them were the ones who had to be physically removed from the event by security forces after the event, and so the event had to be held in a different location.
The venue was the former John J. Auden Hall in the heart of the city. The building, located in the middle of a residential neighborhood north-east of downtown, was erected in 1923 in honor of the founder of the Auden School in Westport, Conn. The building is owned by the city of Troy and has been used to house city administrative offices and, until recently, as a theater space.
The space was chosen to host the AIA celebration because it is an architecturally diverse and culturally rich venue with ample capacity to serve as a cultural center for both local and out-of-towners. The event also served as a celebration of the arts in the city — to make it clear that New York had become a major player on the global cultural scene.
After the traditional opening remarks by the president of the local chapter, a video presentation was shown by members of the chapter. They explained how the building had been designed to accommodate 1,300 people.
“I guess I’m a little surprised that you picked that particular building because it is a little, well, it’s actually a little out of the way,” said Michael McMonigle, who also represents the Troy chapter.
“I think probably the most important thing is that