HED is proud to announce that two of its projects have been recognized by the AIA Michigan Design and Honor Awards program for 2024. The Judy and Stanley Frankel Detroit Observatory Addition and the University of Michigan Ruthven Building Renovation and Addition have both received prestigious accolades.

The Judy and Stanley Frankel Detroit Observatory Addition, designed in partnership with HopkinsBurns Design Studio, won a Building Award. This project involved transforming the second-oldest building on the University of Michigan campus into a modern, accessible space that preserves its historic integrity while providing new amenities for visitors.

The University of Michigan Ruthven Building Renovation and Addition, a collaboration with The S/L/A/M Collaborative, received the Masonry Institute of Michigan Masonry Award. This project introduced state-of-the-art learning spaces, including a 550-seat auditorium and flexible high-tech classrooms, to support the university's evolving pedagogical needs.

HED extends its gratitude to AIA Michigan for this recognition and congratulates its design partners, HopkinsBurns and The S/L/A/M Collaborative, for their outstanding contributions to these projects.

Chicago is an extraordinary city with a vibrant and storied history. In addition to its unique architecture, unparalleled dining, and beautiful shoreline, Chicago has emerged as the Midwest’s hub for music, television, and film. With the construction of multiple movie and recording studios to accompany the diverse talent that Chicago attracts, our city has the infrastructure to accommodate various production needs.

But Chicago is still missing a pillar of cinema, which is why three musicians with decades of combined experience in the entertainment business have created the nonprofit Third Coast Music. Their mission is to foster the rich music culture of Chicago through educational and community outreach, while developing infrastructure to create new recording opportunities. To
that end, they have developed plans for an all-inclusive music campus featuring a world-class scoring stage.

This major recording studio would comprise a full-service facility including a Dub stage, Foley/ADR stage, screening room, and mixing and mastering rooms to enable the complete realization of cinematic projects in Illinois. A scoring stage of this caliber would be the first of its kind in the Midwest, providing a multitude of employment opportunities and eliminating the need for local talent to travel to other major production destinations to fulfill their recording and post-production needs.

Third Coast Music has been awarded the historic Stock Yards Bank building and adjacent lot for this monumental project, a cornerstone of Chicago’s industrial history in the South Side community. This hundred year- old building has been vacant for fifty years, and the City of Chicago has long awaited a cause worthy of its revival.

Situated on the South Side, their music campus is poised to serve the music industry as well as the local community. In addition to a state-of-the art scoring stage, the campus will include performance/event spaces, a music museum, creative incubators, classrooms, and a café. Furthermore, the campus will serve as a center for Third Coast Music’s operations and that of other nonprofits, fueling community-based initiatives and opportunities to nurture musicianship, entrepreneurship, academic excellence, and leadership.

HED is thrilled to announce that our CEO, Enrique Suarez, has been recognized as one of Crain's Chicago Business Notable Latino Leaders for 2024. This prestigious honor celebrates over 100 exceptional individuals who are making meaningful contributions across industries, from driving billion-dollar business decisions to championing social change in their communities.

As CEO, Enrique embodies the leadership, innovation, and commitment to purpose that define HED. Since joining the firm, Enrique has been instrumental in strengthening HED’s position as a leader in architectural and design excellence. Under his guidance, we continue to deliver projects that make a positive impact by addressing the complex needs of clients and creating spaces that inspire, serve, and uplift the communities they touch.

Enrique’s leadership is rooted in a purpose-driven philosophy, reflected in his own words:
"We all make choices in our lives, and those choices must have a purpose. When we design an environment, the quality of that environment needs to reflect the intrinsic meaning of that client’s sole purpose."

His vision resonates throughout HED, where we believe in designing spaces that advance the quality of life for all. By fostering collaboration, championing innovation, and maintaining a client-centered focus, Enrique ensures that HED continues to deliver exceptional design solutions that leave a lasting legacy.

We are proud to see Enrique’s impactful leadership recognized on this esteemed platform and look forward to his continued contributions to HED and the broader design industry.

HED is ranked as the 4th largest architectural firm in the Detroit area by Crain’s Detroit Business!

This growth is a direct reflection of our team's commitment to creating exceptional design that creates positive impact for our clients and communities. We thank every staff member and client who has made our growth possible.

Being recognized in the top 5 is emblematic of HED's history as a Detroit institution — serving our clients and community proudly for all of our 100+ years!

HED is proud to share that the Class ‘A’ research and development building, Via Del Campo II, has been selected for a Tilt-Up Achievement Award!

Working with Drawbridge Realty Trust LLC, the facility is an adaptive, distinctive, and sustainable workplace, fit for a multitude of workstyles and cultures. The distinctive design blends contemporary building materials with generous fenestration while maintaining its energy-efficient envelope.

The TCA Tilt-Up Achievement Awards program was established to honor projects that use site-cast tilt-up concrete to introduce new building types, advance industry technology and provide unique solutions to building programs. The winning entries illustrate the variety, beauty, and flexibility of the tilt-up construction concept.