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Danish Brotherhood Hall

This project balances respect for the past lives of the building and the neighborhood it inhabits with a future vision for its continued presence as a social space for bringing people together. 





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The Danish Brotherhood Hall (DBH) was built in 1915 as a fraternal association for Scandinavians living in Detroit. After shifting uses over the years, the building fell vacant in the 2000s.

XYZ Development brought Waechter Architecture in to reimagine the space as a mixed-use venue for concerts, exhibitions, events, and hospitality. Our aim is to highlight the building's magnificent bones including steel trusses, terrazzo floors, and exposed brick while redesigning the interior logic of the structure in response to contemporary uses and a changed urban context. The design approach balances respect for the past lives of the building and the neighborhood it inhabits with a future vision for its continued presence as a social space for bringing people together.




Project details

Location
Detroit, Michigan


Type
Mixed-Use / Retail


Size
10,000 sf


Owner
XYZ Development


Status
Design Development







Site plan locating Danish Brotherhood Hall within its Detroit block.
Level 1
Level 1 floor plan of Danish Brotherhood Hall.
Level 2
Level 2 floor plan of Danish Brotherhood Hall.
Level 3
Level 3 floor plan of Danish Brotherhood Hall.

Axonometric rendering of the restored brick hall with a landscaped corner entry.
Interior rendering of the hall arranged for a community gathering beneath its timber trusses.
Daytime rendering of the restored brick facade opening onto a planted outdoor dining terrace.
Evening street view of the hall’s brick facade, illuminated windows, and storefronts.

Existing Condition

Existing hall interior with exposed timber roof trusses above the open floor.
Archival street view of the hall’s brick facade and neighboring storefronts.
Existing interior showing brick walls, structural posts, and the hall’s open floor.
Pre-renovation interior of Danish Brotherhood Hall in Detroit, with exposed timber trusses, a brick arch, and debris.

Drawings / Diagrams

Waechter Architecture section studies for reusing the hall, comparing interior layouts beneath its existing roof trusses.
Sectional elevation of the historic brick hall, showing its arched openings and proposed interior levels.
Interior section rendering with a wood-clad enclosure and central opening beneath the hall’s roof trusses.
Interior rendering of a wood-clad mezzanine spanning the hall beneath its exposed trusses.
Facade sketch testing new openings and a projecting entry bay on the hall’s historic street front.
Facade sketch highlighting a revised central entrance in the hall’s brick elevation.
Hand-annotated facade study exploring an arched central entrance and revised window openings.