Alexander Girard, Architect ― Creating Midcentury Modern Masterpieces

During the midcentury period, Michigan attracted visionary architects, designers, and theorists, including Alexander Girard. While much has been written about Girard’s vibrantly colored and patterned textiles for Herman Miller, the story of his Detroit period (1937­–53)—encompassing interior and industrial design, exhibition curation, and residential architecture—has not been told. Alexander Girard, Architect: Creating Midcentury Modern Masterpiecesby Deborah Lubera Kawsky is the first comprehensive study of Girard’s exceptional architectural projects, specifially those concentrated in the ultra-traditional Detroit suburb of Grosse Pointe.

One exciting element of the book is the rediscovery of another Girard masterpiece—the only surviving house designed entirely by Girard, and former residence to Mr. and Mrs. John McLucas. Restored in consultation with iconic midcentury designer Ruth Adler Schnee, the McLucas house represents the culmination of Girard’s Detroit design work at midcentury. Stunning color photographs capture the unique design elements—including the boldly colored glazed brick walls of the atrium—reminiscent of Girard’s role as color consultant for the GM Tech Center. Original Girard drawings for the building plan, interior spaces, and custom-designed furniture document the mind of a modernist master at work and are made available to the public for the first time in this monograph.

Alexander Girard, Architect is a beautiful, informative book suited for enthusiasts of Alexander Girard, the midcentury modern aesthetic, and Detroit history, art, and architecture.

Deborah Lubera Kawsky completed her undergraduate studies at Smith College and her PhD in art history at Princeton University. She is an adjunct associate professor at Madonna University, where she teaches art history courses and leads European study-abroad trips. Her current projects relate to Detroit history, art, and architecture.