Guardian Building (Art Deco landmark and banking headquarters)

The Guardian Building opened in 1929 as the Union Trust Building and was designed by architect Wirt C. Rowland in an exuberant Art Deco style using glazed terra cotta and colorful interior tile work. It served as a major banking headquarters in downtown Detroit and is widely cited for its architectural significance and pioneering use of modern materials. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and remains an active office building and public architectural landmark in the city. Its ornate banking hall and decorative motifs illustrate Detroit's pre-Depression commercial architecture.