"The Hospital of Innovations"

Completed in 1928, Harper Hospital's new building was a major expansion of one of Detroit's leading medical institutions. Designed by Albert Kahn and built by Bryant & Detwiler, the eight-story addition cost approximately $2.5 million and was largely financed through subscriptions from Detroit citizens. The new building added 450 beds, bringing Harper's total capacity to 650 patients when combined with the 200-bed Hudson Memorial unit. The old Harper Hospital building was subsequently closed to patients and intended for general service use.

Kahn's design placed an extraordinary emphasis on modern medical technology, efficiency and patient comfort. The building included six operating rooms on the eighth floor, equipped with a special lighting system designed to eliminate glare and shadows. The Detroit News noted that the system illuminated the entire operating room while an illuminated glass panel allowed surgeons to view X-ray images during an operation. The X-ray department occupied more than 7,000 square feet and contained 25 rooms, and the Free Press described it as among the most complete in the world at the time. The building also included a laundry, nurses' facilities, a social service department, and numerous details intended to improve patient care.

Some of those details are particularly revealing of the era's changing approach to hospital design. Every floor had blanket warmers, while each floor also had a dedicated room for flowers—a surprisingly practical feature considering Harper received approximately 15,000 bouquets a month. Patient rooms were designed to be quiet, well lit and comfortable, with individual electric buzzers and adjustable lighting. The Free Press also emphasized the building's modern, almost hotel-like character, describing it as a hospital designed around cleanliness, convenience and patient comfort rather than simply institutional efficiency.

Harper's 1928 addition demonstrates how Albert Kahn brought his characteristic emphasis on function, technology and carefully considered details into healthcare architecture - creating a remarkably modern hospital for its time.