Detroit’s Motown Museum has released a video so you can get a complete look at the development plans. The birds-eye view shows the planned $50million transformation of the site. The animated video moves along West Grand Boulevard where the current site stands, before circling the newly planned building, revealing a large new exhibit space and outdoor areas.
This is the first clear look at the plans for the expansion, and up until now, there have been only a handful of renderings made available for public viewing. This contributes to the excitement of the video, as it covers the 50,000sq ft plans from all angles. The clip was first screened at the Orchestra Hall during the Motown 60 celebration. Shortly after the video was released it was announced that the museum was over the halfway point for its expansion, having spent $25million of the budget.
The team of architects are now working on the final designs for the museum, after the original architect, Phil Freelon sadly passed away before seeing his last career project complete. The project has recently received a grant of $1million from the Vera and Joseph Dresner Foundation, and the first of 4 phases is well underway.
The development of the site means that the museum will now feature dynamic, interactive exhibits, along with a theatre, recording studio, retail experience and community areas. “Motown introduced a brilliant collection of voices and stories across racial, generational, and cultural lines,” Zena Howard, a managing director at Perkins and Will, said in a statement. “The expansion of the Motown Museum will carry these voices even further.” The neighbourhood on which the site is built is the former home of Motown legends like Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross.
The museum is already one of Michigan’s most popular tourist destination, and the development will only further its reputation, and bring in tourists from around the globe, to be inspired by and celebrate the story, sound and legacy of Motown.
