Ford is throwing a party as the company celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Ford Engineering Lab with the historic facility getting a full renovation that breathes new life into the space while also maintaining its strong links to the past. It’s these links to the past that not only help inspire a new generation of Ford’s brightest engineers but also shows that Ford is ready to accelerate into the future.
Don’t judge a book by its cover
At first glance, you would be hard-pressed to think that any such renovation even happened with the building keeping its classic Albert Kahn-designed exterior even as the rest of Ford’s Dearborn, Michigan campus is transforming all around it. The front lobby and Mahogany Row also keep their strong links to the past with Henry and Edsel Ford’s offices being presented as they were when these two industrial icons would walk inside for the unenviable task of keeping Ford’s well-oiled business machine running.
It wasn’t always like this though with the first four renovations eliminating much of the classic appeal with the beautiful atriums in the roof being covered by ugly drop ceilings and other visages of modern efficiency, old was out, and “new” was in as classic themes were cast aside for corporate conformity. This time around, Ford used its fifth renovation of the building to bring back the classic feel. The drop ceilings were removed and natural light once again shined through the halls of FEL after a long absence.
“Our strategy is a delicate touch,” said Jennifer Kolstead, the company’s Global Design and Brand Director. “So we really honor the architecture, in this case this incredible Kahn building. Then we delicately insert the elements that allow it to function today.”
The numerous desks throughout the building are laid out in open spaces with each workstation being equipped with a modern computer. Ford said on our tour that this layout was meant to encourage collaboration and the passing of ideas while also maintaining the airy feel that the building’s interior has to offer.
History is archived for the future at FEL
In addition to being an active part of Ford’s engineering arm, the FEL building is also home to Ford’s massive historic archives with the archives being housed in a large part of the building with each room featuring a state-of-the-art climate control system to help preserve the artifacts with the average temperature hovering between 63 to 66 degrees to especially help protect some of the more fragile items in the collection. “This building definitely has a distinct personality and feel,” said Ciera Casteel, Senior Collections Archivist for Ford Motor Co. Archives. “I think the renovations that they were able to do over the past couple of years have really helped to highlight a lot of those features.”
Ford rolled out a large collection of artifacts to showcase the large amount of history that the building has to offer. They included blueprints and even model tractors to showcase the site’s prior life as the Ford Tractor Factory before it was torn down to make room for the building. One of the largest artifacts that the archives team brought out was the unofficial star of the collection; “Freddie Ford.”
Freddie was built in the 1960s and is a clear visual reminder of what people back then thought about futuristic robotic technology with the gigantic prop being used to engage with auto show attendees not only about the Ford lineup, but also about other topics including cooking. Freddie’s newfound vigor was thanks to a restoration effort done by Ford and the University of Michigan with Freddie being reworked to be compatible with a modern tablet though his old and far clunkier question-and-answer device is still on display. Other artifacts are kept in special storage areas but a peek through the window next to Freddie’s display revealed other artifacts awaiting their turn to be cataloged and preserved.
Our tour continued to the second floor where we got to see the actual bank vault that Henry Ford used to pay his workers. The vault at FEL was one of several built to allow Henry Ford to pay his employees in cash with the CEO notoriously having a strong distrust of banks. The vault once held $1 million dollars with employees lining up to receive their cash payment from the vault.
Renovation part of a larger plan
The latest round of renovations at FEL are one piece of a broader effort by Ford to update its employee workspaces with the company hoping to update nearly 90% of its facilities over the next few years. The main headquarters building has also been renovated and the recently opened Michigan Central Train Station is also welcoming workers into its iconic halls after a massive restoration effort that saw the building transform from a blighted-out husk into a jewel of Ford’s empire.
Work is also beginning on “The Hub” with the new building replacing the old Product Development building. This new facility is on track to open by 2027 and the company says that the new hub will be a key lynchpin in the company’s vehicle development operations thanks to a massive infusion of modern technology as well as a design that attempts to make it into a space where collaboration and innovation can be seamlessly integrated into some of the vehicles that will be built there.
Overall, the renovations at the Ford Engineering Lab and elsewhere reveal that Ford is updating all aspects of its business, and while the company’s current vehicle lineup rightfully has the bulk of the spotlight, what goes on behind the scenes is just as important and that evolution and change are spreading to all focal points within the company.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.