Now In Design: Barbour School
Renewing a historic Detroit landmark to inspire learning for generations to come.
Detroit, Michigan
Client: Detroit Achievement Academy
Architect: Rafael Viñoly Architects
Building Size: 186,000 sf
The historic Levi Barbour Intermediate School in Detroit’s Pingree Park neighborhood will be transformed into a contemporary educational environment supporting the continued growth of Detroit Achievement Academy and Detroit Prep. Designed by Malcomson & Higginbotham and opened in the early 1920s, the approximately 186,000-square-foot building has stood vacant since 2009.
The adaptive reuse project will honor the century-old school’s architectural legacy while comprehensively renewing its structure and infrastructure. Planned improvements include significant mechanical, electrical, accessibility, and life-safety upgrades, along with the technology and sustainability measures needed to support a modern learning environment. The design will preserve and reinterpret defining qualities such as the building’s generous scale, natural light, craftsmanship, and historic architectural details.
More than the restoration of a long-vacant building, the project represents an investment in the students and families who will inhabit it, the surrounding neighborhood, and the enduring value of Detroit’s civic architecture. Its renewal will return an important community landmark to its original purpose while preparing it to serve a new generation of students.
Led by Rafael Viñoly Architects in collaboration with Kyle Smitley, founder and executive director of Detroit Achievement Academy and Detroit Prep, the project team also includes Parts and Labor Design.