General Motors Worldwide Headquarters

As a partner in the downtown Detroit renewal effort, General Motors agreed to purchase and renovate the 72-story Renaissance Tower to become their worldwide headquarters. They chose Federal Heath to help transform the circular tower into a unique landmark. The result is three 25’ square lighted GM logos mounted over glass. Beneath the logos, a 5’ tall metallic band with four rows of lighted fiber optic tubing surrounds the 400’ circumference of the round building.

Because a revolving restaurant and lounge occupy the top floors, a unique solution was required to create the logos. Federal Heath’s design solution featured an engineering first. The building mullion and glass system actually slice through the large illuminated cabinets. The three flexible sign face structures, with GM graphics, are mounted over the glass and attached to the mullion system. The cabinets, which house the H.I.D. backlighting for the face, were constructed inside the building, attached to the building’s internal structures. The lighting shines through the building glass to illuminate the sign face.

Client Highlights