General Motors Technical Center Designated National Historical Landmark

Yesterday, the General Motors Corporation and distinguished guests unveiled a bronze plaque noting the designation of the General Motors Technical Center in Warren as a National Historic Landmark (NHL). The Tech Center was officially recognized as an NHL on September 30, 2014. Dignitaries in attendance at yesterday’s ceremony include Mark Reuss, GM Executive VP of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain; Ed Welburn, VP of Global GM Design; Patricia Trap from the National Park Service; State Historic Preservation Officer Brian Conway; renowned designer Ruth Adler Schnee; and Eric Saarinen, son of Eero Saarinen.

The General Motors Technical Center (commonly known as the “GM Tech Center”) is one of the most significant works of architect Eero Saarinen, who was among the most important modernist designers of the post-World War II period in the United States. The GM Tech Center marked Saarinen’s emergence onto the national stage and was the first of his four influential suburban corporate campuses that represented a sea change in American business facilities. The GM campus represents Saarinen’s work not just as a creator of buildings but also as the planner/designer of total environments.

A brief summary, additional Images and drone video of the campus are posted to the GM Media Online website at: http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2015/aug/0806-lankmark.html.

More information on the Technical Center, Eero Saarinen, and Michigan's rich and diverse Modern design legacy can be found at www.michiganmodern.org.

All photographs by John F. Martin for General Motors.  Used with permission.