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Prince Concepts

@princeconcepts

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We make space.
CORE CITY, DETROIT

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X. THE CANOPY, CATERPILLAR & TRUE NORTH | SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE 2026 🔵 ONGOING. DETROIT, CORE CITY. Residential, Public Space

For us:
Creative Housing > Luxury Living.
Space, Light, Landscape > Fixtures, finishes, amenities.
Leasable space should subsidize public space.
8 apartments with 200 trees > 200 apartments with 8 trees.
Prince Concepts has been at the cutting edge of what we think housing in the 21st century should look like (in our opinion). Thank you to Allison Arieff at the @sfchronicle for seeing what we do!

Photographed by @johndangelophoto and @adventureguyphoto and @rafaelgamo
Written by @ Allison Arieff
Canopy architect @edwinchan323 represented by @abovethefoldintl
Caterpillar architect @ish___
True North architect @edwinchan323 represented by @abovethefoldintl
All Developed by @princeconcepts taken in Core City, Detroit by @princeconcepts

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5 months ago

X. THE CANOPY | URBAN LAND INSTITUTE 2026 🔵 ONGOING. DETROIT, CORE CITY. Residential, Public Space

The Canopy has been featured by the @urbanlandinstitute as one of the world’s most successful small scale urban infill projects.

In Detroit’s Core City neighborhood, local developer Prince Concepts turned a once vacant lot into a garden community. The first of two phases, completed on a 17,000 square foot (1,580 sq m) lot in 2024, consists of five for-rent duplexes ranging from studios to one- and two-bedroom units. Los Angeles–based design architect EC3, with executive architect Studio Detroit, gave the stucco-clad buildings a variety of sizes and shapes and loosely organized them around several landscaped outdoor “living rooms.”

The developer, which also served as landscape architect, planted 121 trees and added 10,000 square feet of native gardens. Small balconies front the main circulation spine that is to serve both phases. All units have terraces or porches. Expansive glazing frames views of the trees. Parking spots are offsite. Local artist Victor Reyes painted vibrant blue murals on the rooftops. The second phase, under construction, will add seven duplexes to the parcel next door. — @urbanlandinstitute

The second phase - 14 units and 188 trees - is set to be completed at the end of May, 2026.

“the Canopy project crumbles a typical multifamily building into crumbs. Instead of a standard double loaded corridor, people circulate through gardens. Apartments feature windows on multiple facades which offer views of landscape and diverse light quality throughout the day.” — Philip Kafka

Photographed by @adventureguyphoto @jasonkeenco @johndangelophoto
Written by Ron Nyren for the URBAN LAND INSTITUTE
Canopy Architect @edwinchan323 represented by @abovethefoldintl
Developed by @princeconcepts taken in Core City, Detroit by @princeconcepts

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6 months ago

X. CITY OF THE YEAR | WALLPAPER DESIGN AWARDS 2026 🔵 ONGOING. DETROIT, CORE CITY. Commercial, Residential, Public Space, Hospitality, Other, Mixed-Use

Wallpaper Magazine and @adrian_madlener have intelligently named Detroit the City of the year for 2026.

They are right, but not just about what’s happened here, it’s about what can happen. Detroit’s space, history and people come together to create a place that that deserves, inspires and allows for novel work. We are very honored to have our canopy project featured in this great piece and look forward to enjoying all the great projects that Detroit has and will inspire.

“Our award for City of the Year at the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2026 goes to Detroit, a Motor City that looks very different today. Once a byword for urban distress, Detroit is now undergoing a fresh wave of regeneration driven by progressive developers, design distinctions and dynamic investment.

Long-abandoned buildings, vestiges of a bygone era when the automobile was king, have been transformed into galleries and hotels, while new glistening towers rise above the historic skyline. Once blighted neighbourhoods have been redeveloped to keep existing residents while attracting new ones, and there’s a sense of optimism here that’s hard to find anywhere else in the US.

Transformations such as the six-year overhaul of a long-derelict former train station into Michigan Central, a 30-acre tech and cultural hub with a planned NoMad hotel, are emblematic of a new wave of revitalisation sweeping the city. Creative reuse of disused warehouses and bank buildings has accompanied neighbourhood growth, while new architecture and cultural centres are securing Detroit’s status as one of the most exciting places to be right now.”

— @wallpapermag

Photographed by @_aaronfeliciano
Written by @adrian_madlener
Canopy architect @edwinchan323 represented by @abovethefoldintl
Developed by @princeconcepts taken in Core City, Detroit by @princeconcepts

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9 months ago

Our work: pops of color, moments of intrigue, intelligently framed space in a sea of green. @princeconcepts . Photo of Core City by @johndangelophoto by @princeconcepts

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3 days ago

15. POWER PLANT BLDG 🔵 COMPLETED. DETROIT, CORE CITY. Commercial

Conversion, renovation, and addition of/to a formerly industrial property. The original building was a one story, 3,000 SF annex attached to a 7,000 SF two-story building via a private outdoor ally.

Phase 1, completed in May 2020, renovated the annex into a gym for Core City Fitness.

Phase 2, completed June 2022, added a second story above the annex, renovated the existing two-story building and then joined the two buildings by enclosing the old alley. The 10,000 SF space created in phase 2 serves as a Detroit HQ for Duolingo, the global language learning app.

The total building now houses two tenants across approx. 13,000 SF.

This building is the crown jewel of Core City, as it serves as the capstone for Core City Park and features grand, bright, brick spaces. The building is named for the power plant brick that the original building was built with. taken in Core City, Detroit by @princeconcepts

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6 months ago

14. PARK(ING) 🔵 COMPLETED. DETROIT, CORE CITY. Commercial, Public Space

Conversion of an empty lot into a public park and greenspace which doubles as a parking lot for the neighborhood. This project built 28 free public park(ing) spaces for our community and a 110 tree forest on the corner of Grand River and 16th St. The project has been featured and awarded around the world, including on Apple’s global launch of their “Vision Pro”. Completed April 2022. Now that’s a parking lot…. Designed as a collaboration between Julie Bargmann and @a.m.schwartz by @princeconcepts

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9 months ago

13. CONTINENTAL 🔵 COMPLETED. DETROIT, EAST SIDE. Commercial, Public Space, Other 
Prince Concepts acquired this monument and 7 acres of land, on Detroit’s East side, in 2018. The intent was to study, admire, preserve, and deftly develop the site surrounding it. 
We were interested in employing the place making strategies we’d been implementing in Core City and try them in a different part of the Detroit, under different existing conditions and with a monumental backdrop. 
After spending two years cleaning up, securing, thinking about and studying the site, Covid came and we were forced to fortify our position in Core City. In November of 2021, Prince Concepts sold the site and went back to fully focusing on Core City. 
The buildings no longer exist. Like most monuments, they are now only memories, creating a myth. 
Regardless, many lessons were learned during our time on the site. Here are some photos, studies, thoughts and lessons the site inspired. Picture 5 is of the canopy project, whose siting and landscape was inspired by the continental roofs and volunteer gardens on them.

All pictures by @adventureguyphoto by @princeconcepts

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9 months ago

12. CATERPILLAR 🔵 COMPLETED. DETROIT, CORE CITY. Residential

8 newly built apartments, with 108 windows, sitting in a newly planted 168 tree urban woodland. Located one block South of True North at 16th St and Forest. 
Caterpillar is the second Prince Concepts’ project using the Quonset Hut and expands the exploration. Like True North, Caterpillar was generously awarded and has enjoyed 100% occupancy since completion in March of 2021. 
Each unit has 12—18 windows, 23’ ceilings and enjoys outdoor access via a deck/patio/porch that wraps around the entire structure. 
The project was designed by UNDECORATED: Ishtiaq Rafiuddin and the Landscape Architecture was by DIRT Studio: Julie Bargmann. by @princeconcepts

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10 months ago

11. 5K 🔵 COMPLETED. DETROIT, CORE CITY. Commercial 
5K, named for the building’s address, converted a 13,500 sf, abandoned, 1950s grocery store into a build-to-suit company HQ around three courtyards. 
This was not the renovation of a tired, but architecturally significant gem — bringing an icon back to life with cosmetic surgery — this was genetic engineering. We transformed the building’s DNA. 
We worked with @_ish_____ (Ishtiaq Rafiuddin) of @undecorated.us Architects, to figure out how to solve — what we believe will become - a larger problem. How do you approach the renovation (as opposed to demolition) of a totally derelict, not architecturally significant, building? The result, 5000 Grand River — a new species. 
The project was completed in November 2020 and has been the hq for @lafayetteamerican since then. by @princeconcepts

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10 months ago

10. MACK TWINS 🔵 COMPLETED. DETROIT, EAST SIDE. Commercial

The purchase, renovation, and activation of kitty-corner garages in Detroit’s Indian Village. 8700 Mack was built as SANTO/SANTO yoga studio and 8635 Mack Ave was built as Detroit Body Garage. The projects were completed in May of 2020. by @princeconcepts

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10 months ago

09. MAGNET → BARDA 🔵 COMPLETED. DETROIT, CORE CITY. Commercial, Hospitality, Public Space

The elevated conversion of a tired 2,000 SF former Radiator Shop into an award winning restaurant. MAGNET was completed in September of 2019, closed in August of 2020 and reopened in July of 2021 as BARDA. by @princeconcepts

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10 months ago

08. KING HOUSE & FARM 🔵 COMPLETED. DETROIT, CORE CITY. Residential

The conversion of a run-down 1912 Detroit home into a live/work studio, residence and farm. Completed April, 2019. by @princeconcepts

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10 months ago