Business & Tech

Royal Oak Architect Hopes to Inspire

Frank Arvan focuses on bringing the public and architects together.

If you ask the 2012 president of the American Institute of Architecture (AIA) Detroit, what buildings in Royal Oak are architecturally noteworthy, Frank Arvan will rattle off a list—from the Washington Square building to the old fire alarm building on Knowles Street.

Arvan is being modest. One of the most celebrated pieces of architecture in the city is Arvan’s own 2,800-square-foot home on East Fifth Street, built in 2002. His masterpiece has won AIA Detroit, AIA Michigan and Detroit Home awards. On the fringes of downtown, the house doubles as the studio of FX Architecture, his own architectural firm.

“This house was purposefully built close to downtown,” Arvan said. “I like the activity.” Even the sound of people leaving the bars in wee hours of the morning suits him just fine, he said.

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“I lived in Manhattan for years, and the only time it was ever quiet was between 3 and 5 in the morning,” he said. He's used to noise.

Arvan graduated from Lawrence Technological University with a Bachelor of Science in architecture in 1978, left for Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture in 1979 and graduated with a master's in architecture in 1982. He spent 19 years in New York and New Jersey before moving back to Michigan in 1997.

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“New York can be a draining place,” he said. “It just never felt like home.”

Originally from St. Clair Shores, Arvan settled nicely into Royal Oak, which he says can feel urban and small town all at once.

In addition to designing houses, Arvan has done some renovation projects, including the former Northwood Fire Station that is now the home of the . He also designs exhibits for the Detroit Institute of Arts, including the record-breaking Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus show.

Arvan was elected leader of AIA Detroit in December. His term lasts one year. As president, Arvan is concentrating on inspiring local architects to create events that bring the public and architects together. One such event he would like to see come to the is the presentation of the AIA Detroit Honor Awards.

“I think it’s important for architects to focus on creating great places and great buildings that create a sense of community pride,” Arvan said.


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