Central Methodist Church Spire and Kales Building from Rooftops (Circa 1924)

A high-angle telephoto view across brick rooftops capturing the Gothic spire of Central Methodist Church and the ornate Kales Building. — Central Methodist Church Spire and Kales Building from Rooftops (Circa 1924) · Donald A. Hall Estate Collection

A dramatic vertical study in urban geometry and architectural layering, Donald A. Hall Sr. photographed the ornate limestone spire and clock tower of Central Methodist Church rising above the brick chimneys and fire escapes of downtown Detroit. Albert Kahn's neoclassical Kales Building and the Hotel Statler frame the background, while workmen attend to a skylight on a lower rooftop in the foreground.