Ford Dismantles Its Glass House Headquarters After 70 Years and Unveils Future Plans | Carscoops

      The new Henry Ford II World Center will accommodate 4,000 employees and reshape Ford's collaborative future.

      Seventeen hours ago,

      by Stephen Rivers

      The 2.1 million square foot Henry Ford II World Center is set to open in November for 4,000 staff members. The iconic Glass House headquarters will be emptied by mid-2026 and subsequently demolished for redevelopment. The new facility aims for Net-Zero Energy and features design studios, a food hall, and testing areas.

      To remain competitive in the automotive sector, Ford is relocating its global headquarters from its historic ‘Glass House’ at 1 American Road to the new Henry Ford II World Center in Dearborn, Michigan. The expansive campus spans 2.1 million square feet and will act as the brand's global center.

      For nearly 70 years, the Glass House has functioned as Ford’s global headquarters. However, as Executive Chairman Bill Ford noted, “The future of our industry demands a different kind of space, one that is more connected, more flexible, and designed for the pace of a technology and software-driven company.” This new campus is intended to fulfill that need.

      Additionally, the new headquarters is built on the site of Ford’s former product development center and exceeds the old facility significantly in size. Its employee capacity is effectively double that of the Glass House, and another 14,000 Ford employees will be within a 15-minute walking distance. The ultramodern complex serves multiple functions.

      Larger, More Efficient, More Agile

      Ford claims that it carried out a two-year study aimed at enhancing efficiency and reducing material movement time by 80 percent. This research informed the design of the new headquarters. Inside the building, employees will have access to six design studios, a 160,000-square-foot food hall, 303 tech-enabled meeting rooms, and an expansive showroom featuring 10 turntables and a 64-foot micro-LED screen for comprehensive vehicle presentations.

      A stacked vertical design allows vehicles to be driven throughout the building for product testing and presentations. Ford aims to attain Net-Zero Energy status with this structure, anticipating that it will consume 50 percent less energy than the Glass House, even though it is significantly larger.

      Looking Ahead

      In the coming year, employees at the Glass House will gradually move to other locations. After their departure, the iconic building will be sustainably decommissioned and demolished over an 18-month time frame. Subsequently, Ford and the city of Dearborn will collaborate to repurpose the site for community use.

      Notably, the new headquarters will retain the address of 1 American Road, the same as the previous building. The first employees are expected to move into the new facility in November of this year. “This is a pivotal moment. We are not just creating the next generation of vehicles; we are also building the next generation of Ford,” stated Jim Farley and Bill Ford.