2024-05-04T21:50:39-04:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/150348030/gensler-and-civilian-team-reimagines-abandoned-detroit-book-depository-as-startup-hub-for-mobility-innovation Niall Patrick Walsh 2023-04-28T11:55:00-04:00 >2024-03-15T01:45:58-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/f2/f2c4fefd07c7a1941ea2d16a43fb2fa9.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>A team including <a href="https://archinect.com/gensler" target="_blank">Gensler</a> and <a href="https://archinect.com/civilianprojects" target="_blank">CIVILIAN</a> has completed the adaptive reuse of an old book depository in <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/12263/detroit" target="_blank">Detroit</a>. The new center will serve as the headquarters for <a href="https://www.newlab.com/" target="_blank">Newlab</a>, a technology collective hosting startups in the field of decarbonization, energy, mobility, and materials.</p> <figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/74/74e5897d02ad4f049c34c48f21138386.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/74/74e5897d02ad4f049c34c48f21138386.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Image credit: Jason Keen</figcaption></figure><figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/e6/e66e1420161c251b72c950ba9a7dac4e.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/e6/e66e1420161c251b72c950ba9a7dac4e.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Image credit: Jason Keen</figcaption><p><br></p><p>Newlab&rsquo;s headquarters sits within the wider <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/981998/michigan-central-station" target="_blank">Michigan Central campus</a>; a 30-acre center advancing mobility-focused technologies and the vision of Ford executive chairman Bill Ford. On the campus, Newlab will create what the organization calls a &ldquo;center of gravity for startups, entrepreneurs, engineers, and scientists to build breakthrough companies in Detroit.&rdquo;</p></figure><figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/31/31a063fdd6865585db96810007a02e0d.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/31/31a063fdd6865585db96810007a02e0d.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Image credit: Jason Keen</figcaption></figure><figure><figure><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/e3/e322941ba3e47b8a6932931228b7a457.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/e3/e322941ba3e47b8a6932931228b7a457.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;w=514"></a><figcaption>Image credit: Brian Ferry</figcaption></figure></figure><p>The 1936 Albert Kahn-designed building housing Newlab was originally built as a post office and mail-sorting facility, before being used as the Detroit Public School&rsquo;s Book Depository. The <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/262522/art-deco" target="_blank">art deco</a> building will now serve as a 270,000-square-foot center with purpos...</p>