Detroit Masonic Temple - Architecture

Architecture

The Detroit Masonic Temple became (and remains) the largest Masonic Temple in the world after 1939 when the Chicago Masonic Temple was demolished. The Masonic Temple Theatre used to seat 5,000. However due to poor sight lines along the sides of the stage (the auditorium has a horseshoe shaped auditorium, rather than a fan shaped auditorium of most theatres), and obstructed views (pillars), nearly 600 seats are never sold or have been removed. So maximum seating becomes 4,404. This is one of the finest theatres in the United States. Because of the aforementioned seating arrangement, there is a very intimate contact between the audience and stage. A great deal of careful study was given to the acoustical treatment of this room which has produced an auditorium where the hearing qualities are perfect from every seat. The stage of the auditorium is the second largest in the United States, having a width between walls of 100 feet and a depth from the curtain line of 55 feet.

The large complex includes a 14-story 210-foot (64 m) ceremonial building connected to a 10-story wing for the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, commonly known as Shriners by the 7-story Auditorium Building. In between these areas are a 1,586-seat Scottish Rite Cathedral, and a 17,500-square-foot (1,630 m2) drill hall used for trade shows, conventions, and is also currently home to Detroit Derby Girls roller derby bouts. A unique feature is the drill halls' floating floor. This drill hall is equipped with one of three floating floors in the United States; that is, the entire floor is laid on felt cushions. This type of construction provides more or less give to the floor which tends to relieve the marchers. The building houses two grand ballrooms— The opulent Crystal Ballroom and the classic Art Deco period design of the Fountain Ballroom which measures 17,264 square feet (1,603.9 m2) and accommodates up to 1,000 people. There is also a lesser known unfinished theatre located in the top floor of the tower that was never completed, and would have seated about 900. Like much of the deeper reaches of the building including the incomplete tower, it is strictly off limits to the public.

There are seven Craft Lodge Rooms - all having different decorative treatments, the motifs of decoration being taken from the Egyptian, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Italian Renaissance, Byzantine, Gothic and Romanesque. The rooms are all true to the period. All of the art work throughout the building, especially the beautifully decorated ceilings was done under the personal direction of famous Italian artists. There is also a Royal Arch room, and a Commandery Asylum for the Knights Templar.

The Scottish Rite Cathedral has a seating capacity of 1600 and its fully equipped stage with a width of 64 feet from wall to wall and a depth of 37 feet from the foot lights. The Cathedral is made rich by carvings and color work which is most effectively carried out in the ceiling.

The complex, centrally located, dominates the skyline in an area known as Cass Corridor, across Temple Street from Cass Park, and from the renown Cass Tech. It is within walking distance of the Motor City Casino & Hotel. The Detroit Masonic Temple was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Architect George Mason designed the theatre, which contains a 55-foot (17 m)-by-100-foot stage. Detroit Masonic Temple was designed in the neo-gothic architectural style, and is faced with Indiana limestone. Although there are few Masonic buildings in the Gothic style, the architect believed that Gothic best exemplified Masonic traditions.

Much of the stone, plaster and metal work in the interior of the building was designed and executed by architectural sculptor Corrado Parducci. The three figures over the main entrance were by Leo Friedlander while the rest of the considerable architectural sculpture on the exterior was by Bill Gehrke.