Cadillac Celestiq buyers from around the world will have to be brave enough to go to the Detroit area if they want to design their new car in person. That’s because the automaker has opened a new design space at the GM Global Technical Center campus in Warren, Michigan.
GM’s new Cadillac House at Vanderbilt is described as a “state-of-the-art facility” dedicated to providing luxury clientele with a personalized design experience. There, customers will work with Celestiq designers and a concierge to give them a highly individualized commissioning experience.
“Every Celestiq is personally commissioned and working on-site with our Cadillac designers provides clients an elevated experience,” said Bryan Nesbitt, executive director, Global Cadillac Design. “It’s a unique opportunity to collaborate with our design team, enabling clients to directly translate their vision of their Celestiq into a one-of-one piece of moving sculpture.”
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To be fair, Cadillac House at Vanderbilt is located within a design campus that was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2014, so it isn’t exactly a rough area. The single-story, mid-century modernist building that hosts Cadillac House at Vanderbilt, like the rest of GM’s Global Technical Center, was designed by celebrated architect Eero Saarinen.
When it was erected in 1955, the building won an Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects. The split-level edifice’s central ornament, a sculptural golden screen, was designed by Harry Bertoia. The Italian-born, Detroit-based artist collaborated with Saarinen on the design and made it out of enameled steel that was coated in molten metal.
Originally, the building served as a restaurant where GM designers such as Suzanne Vanderbilt might have supped. The namesake of Cadillac’s new design house, she joined GM in 1955, and worked in the Cadillac studio.
One of a shamefully small number of women working in automotive design at the time, her early work included vehicles such as the 1958 Eldorado Seville Coupe and the Cadillac Saxony Convertible. She worked with the company until she retired in 1977.
Now, the building that bears her name, Cadillac House at Vanderbilt, will welcome customer from around the globe, even those who choose to design their Celestiq virtually will be helped by employees working from the space. From there, the cars will be hand-built by an experienced team of talented craftspeople at the nearby Artisan Center.
“From start to finish, the process is meticulously curated,” said Melissa Grady Dias, global chief marketing officer, Cadillac. “And regardless of where clients choose to collaborate with the Cadillac team, we will offer an extraordinary variety of commission options, ensuring every desire for their vehicle can be fulfilled. Each Celestiq is tailored to reflect its owner’s tastes, which are conveyed directly to the design team.”
Cadillac House at Vanderbilt will welcome its first clients in the late summer of 2023.
