Constructed in 1966, the Professional Plaza office tower became known around town as the “Hammer and Nail Building” for its iconic neon sign — a series of hammers striking a nail — and for housing the Detroit Carpenters Union.
Detroit, MI
2019
John D'Angelo
An ode to its namesake as well as Detroit’s mid-century cocktail culture, the new Hammer & Nail bar is a study in sleek mid-century detail. The design concept: to extend the building’s mid-century architecture to an evening cocktail bar on the ground floor.
Soaring floor-to-ceiling windows, leather banquettes, and a warm walnut-panelled bar topped with black marble and brass lamps strike just the right mood. And as a grand flourish, the iconic neon sign was reinstated in a prominent location: right above the bar.
