DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) — Ford Motor Company has officially moved into its new state-of-the-art world headquarters in Dearborn, marking the end of a 70-year era at the legendary "Glass House." The massive 2.1-million-square-foot campus is twice the size of its predecessor and designed to drive the next century of automotive innovation.
See video inside the new headquarters in the player below:
The new facility unites engineering, design and technology teams under one roof for the first time, creating what Ford executives call a more collaborative and employee-friendly workspace.
"This building is preparing us for the next 100 years of work. So it's an incredibly progressive future-focused model," said Jennifer Kolstad, Ford's Global Design and Brand Director.
Related Video: Ford announces move to new headquarters, Glass House to be demolished
Planning for the headquarters began in 2017, with construction starting three and a half years ago. The campus was built on the historic site of Ford's 1953 Product Development Center, where automotive icons like the Mustang and F-150 were first imagined.
Jim Dobleske, Chair and CEO of Ford Land, emphasized the intentional focus on natural lighting and walkability throughout the facility.
"You'll have marketing, sales, and service sitting next to finance, sitting next to engineers, sitting next to designers, all sitting next to the product, where before those individuals would have been in different unique buildings," Dobleske said.
The campus features significant upgrades from the Glass House, including a massive jump from a 70,000-square-foot lobby and café to a 160,000-square-foot food hall led by Executive Chef Grant Vella. The facility also offers 12 acres of green space, five courtyards, wellness areas and shared workspaces designed for all 4,000 employees expected onsite by 2027.
The new layout is designed for efficiency, reducing material movement time by over 80%. Additionally, 14,000 employees will now be within a 15-minute walk of each other, a proximity Ford believes will accelerate innovation.
Kolstad noted the campus represents Ford's commitment to the Detroit community.
"Before, we were in the center of a large lot and it felt like we were at a distance, but now we're an integrated part of the community. And as you know, the Fords love the city of Detroit. And I think that this building tells that message clearly," Kolstad said.
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