Over-the-top Top of the Book Tower
The Book Tower was not architect Louis Kamper's most appealing design.
When completed in 1926, the 36-story building became Detroit's tallest. It held the title only until the 47-story Penobscot Building surpassed it two years later, and then sank to number three a year after that when the 40-story Guardian Building was built.
The Book Tower's most notable design feature is the large quantity of classical ornaments which festoon its exterior, particularly the top dozen floors. In this respect it differs markedly from other skyscrapers built in Detroit during the same period, and almost certainly from those built elsewhere. The unusual appearance of the building has generated both admiration and derision over the years.
Other buildings designed by Louis Kamper, both before and after, did not suffer from the same overuse of "bolt on" decoration as the Book Tower; one wonders what might have inspired such a monumental lapse in artistic judgement. It's possible, however, that Kamper was not the one responsible for cluttering the building's exterior with so many pieces of the old world.
Kamper's patron, James B. Book, Jr., was the driving force behind developing Washington Boulevard from an unimportant street into an exclusive retail district. Using the rather extensive fortunes left to him by his father's and mother's families, he financed the Book Tower and four other buildings on the two blocks south of Grand Circus Park. A short biography of James B. Book, Jr. from the 1922 book, "The City of Detroit, Michigan", describes how Mr. Book involved himself in the design of the Book Tower:
"Mr. Book made the general plans for the building, having it continually in his mind during his eastern and European travels, where he studied other large edifices and took note on various important features, obtaining a motif here and there which he turned over to his architect, who worked it out in detail until the completed structure is one of marvelous grace and beauty."
"Obtaining a motif here and there" is a rather apt description of the building.
Over-the-top Top of the Book Tower
The Book Tower was not architect Louis Kamper's most appealing design.
When completed in 1926, the 36-story building became Detroit's tallest. It held the title only until the 47-story Penobscot Building surpassed it two years later, and then sank to number three a year after that when the 40-story Guardian Building was built.
The Book Tower's most notable design feature is the large quantity of classical ornaments which festoon its exterior, particularly the top dozen floors. In this respect it differs markedly from other skyscrapers built in Detroit during the same period, and almost certainly from those built elsewhere. The unusual appearance of the building has generated both admiration and derision over the years.
Other buildings designed by Louis Kamper, both before and after, did not suffer from the same overuse of "bolt on" decoration as the Book Tower; one wonders what might have inspired such a monumental lapse in artistic judgement. It's possible, however, that Kamper was not the one responsible for cluttering the building's exterior with so many pieces of the old world.
Kamper's patron, James B. Book, Jr., was the driving force behind developing Washington Boulevard from an unimportant street into an exclusive retail district. Using the rather extensive fortunes left to him by his father's and mother's families, he financed the Book Tower and four other buildings on the two blocks south of Grand Circus Park. A short biography of James B. Book, Jr. from the 1922 book, "The City of Detroit, Michigan", describes how Mr. Book involved himself in the design of the Book Tower:
"Mr. Book made the general plans for the building, having it continually in his mind during his eastern and European travels, where he studied other large edifices and took note on various important features, obtaining a motif here and there which he turned over to his architect, who worked it out in detail until the completed structure is one of marvelous grace and beauty."
"Obtaining a motif here and there" is a rather apt description of the building.