Team
Owner | Developer: Aparium Hotel Group
Interior Design | Branding: KTGY
Photography: Nathan Kirkman

Project Type
Adaptive Reuse
Hotel and Restaurant

Services Provided
Concept
Brand Positioning
Naming
Logo & Identity
Collateral
Signage
Custom Artwork
Uniforming
Programming
Interior Design

The Detroit Foundation Hotel sits in the former Detroit Fire Department headquarters. The property is on the national register of historic buildings.

With the design theme focused on “coming home to Detroit,” the hotel conveys the essence of the Motor City, by building a place very much of Detroit, of its citizens, and of its spirit. Through concept, planning, interior design and branding, we sought to inspire Detroit with a beacon representing the largest urban renaissance in American history. The design and brand messaging attracted local artists and businesses to want to take part in the story of the hotel, and make their mark on what was sure to become a Detroit icon.

Our solution is infused with elements of municipal design from Detroit’s golden age, inspired by found documents and pieces left over from when the building served as the fire department headquarters. A custom typeface was inspired by the firefighters of Detroit, and the brand color was directly sampled from automotive paint used on the fire engines themselves.