In the heart of Detroit’s Little Village, a former derelict bakery has been transformed into a glowing beacon of cultural production. The Lantern, an arts hub designed by the world-renowned architecture firm OMA, has recently welcomed its newest anchor tenant: Assemble Sound. This 4,000-square-foot headquarters is more than just an office; it is a meticulously crafted ecosystem for music creation, artist development, and commercial work. By blending the raw, industrial bones of Detroit’s past with cutting-edge lighting, custom-designed furniture, and a vibrant, aqua-hued focal point, the project embodies the city’s ongoing creative renaissance. As the Rust Belt continues to reinvent itself, Assemble Sound’s new home stands as a testament to the power of design to foster community and inspire the next generation of musical talent.
A Harmonious Blend of Past and Present
The design of the Assemble Sound headquarters was led by the company’s own head of music, Seth Anderson, and his partner Jillian Anderson. For their debut interior project, the duo chose to work “with and against” the building’s original architecture. The 22,300-square-foot Lantern complex, completed by OMA in 2024, provided a robust industrial shell of patched-up brickwork, exposed wooden ceiling beams, and metal ductwork. Rather than concealing these rugged elements, the Andersons opted to leave them visible, creating a textured backdrop that honors the building’s history as a neighborhood bakery while providing a grounding aesthetic for a modern creative studio.
At the center of this industrial volume is a striking architectural intervention by OMA: a perforated metal staircase painted in a bold, eye-catching aqua. This sculptural element serves as the vertical heart of the office, connecting the two levels of workspaces and recording studios. The choice of color—a vibrant departure from the surrounding red brick and grey concrete—immediately signals that this is a space of contemporary innovation. It creates a visual rhythm that guides visitors through the open-plan layout, turning a functional necessity into the office’s most recognizable design signature.
Immersive Environments for Artistic Flow
Moving through the Assemble Sound office is an experience designed to manipulate light and mood. In the hallway, Seth Anderson installed custom rippled ceiling panels that are softly illuminated from within. These panels are intended to create a sense of transition, “washing away the outside world” as artists and staff move toward the creative heart of the building. This psychological threshold is further enhanced by an arched doorway aligned with an infinity mirror artwork, which leads into the studios. Once inside, the ceiling heights rise dramatically, and large windows flood the creative spaces with natural light.
The lighting strategy throughout the office is both practical and symbolic. Seth Anderson implemented a robust artificial lighting program that highlights the building’s architectural junctions. “Everywhere two planes meet, we’ve carved in cove lighting,” Seth explains, noting that these illuminated seams serve as a constant reminder that inspiration should not be contained by four walls. This meticulous attention to detail ensures that the office remains a dynamic environment at all hours, transitioning from a sun-drenched daytime workspace to a focused, atmospheric recording studio after dark.
Custom Craftsmanship and Community Spirit
The office is furnished with several bespoke pieces that reflect Detroit’s local maker culture. A standout feature in the central hub is an amorphous table made from recycled materials by local designer Simon Anton. Designed for informal work, the table even features a live tree growing from its base, positioned directly beneath a large skylight. Other custom fabrications by Seth Anderson include “sound dishes,” specialized desks, and a massive mixing table that serves as the centerpiece of one of the recording studios. These pieces are not just functional; they are art objects that contribute to the office’s unique identity.
Beyond the private studios, The Lantern complex is designed as an accessible community space. The Assemble Sound headquarters adjoins a central outdoor courtyard that links it with other non-profit organizations, such as Signal-Return and the Progressive Arts Studio Collective (PASC). This collaborative environment is part of developer Library Street Collective’s wider “Little Village” initiative, which aims to revitalize the neighborhood through arts and culture. By sharing space with galleries and creative retailers, Assemble Sound is part of a larger, porous ecosystem where music, visual art, and community engagement constantly overlap.
Detroit’s New Era of Cultural Architecture
The opening of Assemble Sound’s headquarters is the latest chapter in Detroit’s successful track record of adaptive reuse. In recent years, the city has seen numerous abandoned industrial structures find second lives as vibrant cultural venues. OMA partner Jason Long notes that the renovation of the bakery into The Lantern was intended to make the transformation feel “simultaneously familiar and mysterious.” By preserving the solidity of the original building while punching through with new light and color, the architects have created a space that both welcomes and emits creativity.
Ultimately, Assemble Sound’s new home is a reflection of the company’s mission to provide local artists with the resources they need to thrive on a global stage. The combination of OMA’s structural vision and the Andersons’ personal, tactile interior design has resulted in a world-class facility that feels deeply rooted in Detroit. As the aqua staircase climbs toward the skylights and the custom mixing tables capture the city’s latest sounds, The Lantern proves that with the right vision, even the most derelict corners of the urban landscape can be reimagined as beacons of light and sound for the future.
