A project idea that has been kicking around my head is a website based on Detroit residential architecture.

Detroit was booming in the 1920s. Craftsmen built beautiful homes with lovely wood and plater details. Local brickworks produced a variety of bricks that masons laid in beautiful patterns.

After WWII Detroit boomed again. New families needed starter homes. Lot sizes were smaller and homes were more modest. There is still good craftsmanship in many of these homes, but they were built faster.

Detroit declined after the 1950s. Many homes have fallen into disrepair and have been demolished.

I would like to build a website that records some of the remaining homes and styles in Detroit. I’m unsure how I would structure the site though. I think the landing page would be a brief summary of Detroit’s residential architecure history. I could group homes by style and have a page for each. Colonial, Craftsman, Spanish/Stucco, Midcentury Modern, etc. I would like to showcase homes with quality photography.

Would I just focus on exterior architecture? Probably yes, in the beginning. Maybe I could expand into interior elements in future versions of the site.

Not sure if I’ll ever get around to this, but it’s a site I know I would enjoy browsing. I’m sure many cities could have the similar sites built based on their own architecture. Maybe some already do…