Detroit’s 10 best social media accounts for architecture and homes

Detroit’s built environment was and is gorgeous to behold. Fortunately, there’s some great people photographing and archiving it.

Whether you want to just look at some pretty pictures or be better informed about the history of the city’s buildings, there’s lots of great social media accounts for you to follow. Below we’ve compiled 10 of the best on Instagram and Facebook, which offer a nice mix of architecture, design, and history.

Nadir Ali

Perhaps no photographer working in Detroit at the moment takes photographs as breathtaking as Ali. On his Instagram account or website, you’ll find perfectly composed drone shots of the city’s skyline and architecture. He often incorporates the weather into his photos as well, using snow and fog to great effect.

O’Connor Real Estate

This Detroit-based real estate agency lists some of the coolest buildings in the city. That shows on its Instagram account. Through exceptional photography, it features off some of the attractive homes, lofts, and office spaces it has for sale and rent. But it doesn’t just post photos displaying its listings, and often shows off the city in other ways, and offers plenty of well-designed spaces and cityscapes.

Historical Detroit Area Architecture

The most comprehensive resource for historic architecture in Detroit. Members of this Facebook group post photos and share links on architecturally significant buildings in Metro Detroit. Often the posts will have additional information about the architect, the date it was built, and many other details. It will sometimes be accompanied be historic photos or renderings. A lively discussion always follows.

Woodward Throwbacks

This Hamtramck-based shop that makes furniture out of reclaimed wood has a killer Instagram account. Posts include old building and sites were it gets wood, places that install its products, details of items it finds, and just cool photos around town. Definitely worth a follow.

Detroit Architecture

Want photos of great architecture around town? Then this account delivers the goods. This account features photos of buildings or details of buildings, often with additional historical info.

Historic Detroit

Another essential resource for the history of Detroit’s buildings. This Facebook page shares timely articles, images, building anniversaries, and more about the city’s built environment. Its website offers even more comprehensive histories of practically all of Detroit’s iconic structures.

Morgan McDonald

This photographer, like Nadir Ali, takes perfectly composed shots of Detroit. She showcases a mostly streets-eye view of buildings, homes, and city life.

Jonathan Peters

This Instagram account from a “traveler, explorer, photographer, historian, and tour guide” features mostly photographs of buildings, mostly in Detroit. The posts are a nice mix of homes and other structures, which are often accompanied by historical information.

Parducci Society

This Instagram account not only celebrates the great Italian-American architectural sculptor Corrado Parducci, who did most of his work in Detroit, but also craftsmanship generally. It posts nice, detailed shots of work by Parducci and others. You could also follow the group’s Facebook page for more information about events hosted by the society.

Breathing Time Machine

If you’re looking for a broader picture (literally) of architecture in the state, check out this unique Instagram account. Photographer Jesse Robinson features gorgeous shots of historic Detroit architecture and old homes around the state in small towns like Romeo or Almont. You can also find some cool archival photos, and there’s always some additional information in the description.