- The Celestiq is a Cadillac like no other and that meant the company had to elevate the buying process.
- The result is Cadillac House, which is a swanky building in Michigan where customers can commission their ultra-luxury vehicle.
- The facility presents customers with an assortment of personalization options ranging from paint colors to wheels and upholstery.
The Cadillac Celestiq is an ultra-luxury vehicle that battles Bentley and Rolls-Royce, and this meant the company had to reimagine the customer experience. As Cadillac’s John Roth explained, “product alone can’t do the job” as the experience is what really sets things apart. With this in mind, the brand established Cadillac House at Vanderbilt.
Located at the heart of the Warren Tech Center, Cadillac House is home to all things Celestiq and is near the Artisan Center where the car is built. It’s designed to provide an “individualized, bespoke client experience” and officials said the building helps to elevate the process even further.
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That’s an understatement as the building dates back to 1955 and it won an Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects that same year. While the facility was originally home to the Central Restaurant, it has been brought back to life with a modernized design that balances the past with Cadillac’s future.
Michael Gauthier / CarScoops
Starting outside, there’s an expansive glass wall that provides a panoramic view of the Tech Center as well as a lake and a fountain designed by Alexander Calder. The building also sports dark bricks that contrast with a subtle Cadillac crest.
The minimalist exterior is accompanied by an intimate courtyard, which is surrounded by vegetation. It features a brick driveway and is an excellent place to showcase a customer’s Celestiq.
The Birth Of A Celestiq
Michael Gauthier / CarScoops
While the building is interesting and steeped in history, it serves a purpose as Cadillac House is where customers can go to commission a Celestiq.
The center of the building is broken up into multiple areas including a cozy client lounge that has a living room-like atmosphere. There’s also a collaboration area, which houses a long table so customers can work with Celestiq designers as well as their personal concierge.
The collaboration area is located near a “magic wall,” which houses automated panels that open to reveal a host of vehicle options. This includes dozens of painted models, so owners can more easily visualize what their car will look like.
Michael Gauthier / CarScoops
Besides showcasing paint colors, the magic wall houses an assortment of fabrics and leathers. This enables clients to select their preferences and see how certain combinations will look together.
The most beautiful section is dedicated to trim and it presents buyers with an assortment of options. These range from fairly traditional wood trim to more artistic versions and lightweight carbon fiber. Clients can also choose between bright or dark metal accents.
To amplify the Cadillac feel, there are goddess sculptures as well as scale models of the Celestiq. There’s also a conference room as well as a design area with an assortment of books. Even the bathroom wasn’t overlooked as it’s surprisingly upscale and features a ‘hidden’ toilet paper holder.
Michael Gauthier / CarScoops
Elsewhere, there’s a golden sculptural screen created by Harry Bertoia. It measures 36 feet (11 meters) long and features individual plaques of enameled steel that have been “coated in molten metal for artistic effect.”
While few people will ever be lucky enough to visit Cadillac House at Vanderbilt, the building pays tribute to designer Suzanne Vanderbilt. The name might not ring a bell, but she joined GM Design in 1955 and was one of the few women in a male-dominated industry. She worked on an assortment of projects over the years including the Cadillac Saxony convertible and a 1958 Eldorado Seville Coupe called the Baroness. Vanderbilt retired in 1977 and passed away a little over a decade later.
