Louis Buhl & Co. Headquarters

Library Street Collective co-founders Anthony & JJ Curis announce the new headquarters for contemporary art gallery and project space Louis Buhl & Co. in the East Village neighborhood of Detroit, set to open in late 2024. Based in Los Angeles with an outpost in Detroit, architecture firm Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects (LOHA) have been selected for the development, which will serve as an extension of the programming at the Shepherd (located adjacent), and the surrounding grounds undergoing transformation into a multi-disciplinary arts and culture campus set to open in Spring 2024. The development will welcome a new gallery uniquely tailored towards the business’s multifaceted programming, as well as Louis Buhl & Co.’s first in-house production studio. This monumental addition, which will be managed by a resident master printer, will break new ground in Louis Buhl & Co.'s programming, vastly expanding the opportunity available for artists’ first-hand involvement in the printing process, while nurturing a greater space for experimentation, collaboration and education. Plans for the permanent relocation come at a time of rapid growth for the gallery, as of 2023, Louis Buhl & Co. announces its first artists of representation, Detroit-based painters Davariz Broaden and Olivia Guterson.

Louis Buhl & Co., sister gallery to Library Street Collective, is a Detroit-based contemporary art gallery and project space that balances its exhibition programming with the production of print editions and unique series, ultimately serving as an incubator for individuality, experimentation and artistic expression. Since its inception, the gallery has rapidly evolved in its dynamic presentation of artists at all stages in their careers, with the goal of representing varied points of view and divergent practices. Maintaining a multidisciplinary focus on scale and medium, the gallery works hand-in-hand with artists to develop their ideas, as well as provide the resources and support to explore new outlets with a demographic of accessibility and wider reach in mind. The new location will bring all gallery functions, including a production studio and retail space, under one roof.

The site at 1317 McClellan Avenue is home to a former convent that was historically associated with the Good Shepherd Catholic Church, soon to be a cultural arts center called the Shepherd which lies at the heart of Library Street Collective’s expansion into Detroit’s East Village. The design of the complex consists of a main structure which includes the reception area and retail space, the production studio, and the new gallery/exhibition space. A private building next to the main structure will be used for Louis Buhl & Co.’s facilities and archive. Existing, freestanding historic elements will be incorporated into the overall design of the main building with the addition of an outdoor courtyard, providing productive space for artists and a welcoming atmosphere for visitors. The gallery space will be enclosed with translucent polycarbonate panels, and will combine lightness and durability, a compliment to the weathered brick of the existing façade. Its translucence will create an atmospheric beacon at night, creating a distinct identity and offering a unique canvas for artists. The lighting design will be developed as a dynamic installation with the potential to transform over time. Excited by the ambitious community arts project at large and the budding energy of the neighborhood, LOHA has bought a building down the street from the development with plans to activate a new office in Detroit.