Growing up in Southeast Michigan, Ford was omnipresent, and not just because the Blue Oval shines like a beacon on the Southfield Freeway.

Two generations of my family worked for Ford before me, and my dad refuses to drive any other automaker’s vehicle. In my time on the Ford Communications team, it has been fascinating to learn more about Ford’s product development journey, from the quadracycle to the Bronco I drive today, and where each of our beloved family vehicles fit in. Our ’89 Taurus SHO with its floor mounted car phone and our orangey-red ’91 Explorer were both examples of iconic vehicle designs in their day.

For me and my family, Ford has meant fun, adventure, innovation, and opportunity. So, when it came time to plan a celebration for the Blue Oval’s first new home in 70 years, I found myself thinking a lot about what Ford means to others.

Since 1903, Ford has made an impact on countless families like mine; it’s propelled careers, sparked entrepreneurship, and helped small businesses grow into bigger ones. It’s fueled a passion for driving and symbolized freedom for countless teenagers. It brings people together at tailgates and road trips everywhere. Without Ford, would Detroit be known as the Motor City?

We designed the celebration to give everyone who loves Ford — especially the people who come to work each day to keep an American icon moving forward —a chance to be a part of launching the site that will host our next chapter.

And on a blustery Sunday afternoon, thousands of those people — employees with their families, retirees, elected officials, and members of the Dearborn community — turned out to celebrate the grand opening of our new World Headquarters.

At the event, we welcomed them to tour the 2.1 million square-foot, four-story building and see first-hand how the facility will enable a more efficient future for Ford.

The day also included fun, Ford-themed activities — the Ford heritage fleet, a Bronco-themed campsite, a Lincoln Lounge where attendees could experience the available Rejuvenate feature and a preview of Ford’s new Thanksgiving Day float. Ford Racing drivers even turned out to shake hands and sign autographs.

The highlight of the day was when CEO Jim Farley and Ford Executive Chair Bill Ford led the unveiling of the blue oval atop the building — a new beacon at the center of the Henry Ford II World Center campus.

“This campus reflects our enduring belief in American innovation and American leadership,” Ford said. “Though Ford is a global company, it is — and will always be — an American company at its heart. … If you come looking for our home, you will still find us at 1 American Road.”

Designers and decisionmakers under one roof

The building, shaped by three overlapping hexagons, will accommodate 4,000 employees when it’s completed in 2027, twice that of Ford’s previous World Headquarters, the Glass House. Farley thanked employees, retirees and members of the community for attending, saying “welcome home” as he began his remarks.

“This campus and this awesome new World Headquarters are more than just places to work,” he said. “They represent where we come together to shape the future and leave our mark on the world. It’s an investment in the most important asset we have at Ford — each of us.”

The new facility brings Ford’s key decision-makers and designers under one roof, creating new efficiencies in the product development process. Six design studios, three interconnected showrooms and various team Energy Rooms allow for enhanced team discussion and collaboration.

Go Inside the Building

A day of pride, music, and community

The Detroit Lions’ Drumline, the Honolulu Boom, began the program, following a moving performance of the National Anthem sung by Lily Bowen, the daughter of a Ford employee. Former longtime Detroit TV news anchor Devin Scillian emceed the presentation, which focused on Ford’s commitment to family and the community.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer thanked Ford for its commitment to the community in her prerecorded remarks, while U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell, and Rashida Tlaib were joined in attendance by Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud and members of Dearborn City Council.

Ford and Farley also both recognized former Ford CEO Jim Hackett for his part in kicking off the World Headquarters project during his tenure.

A breath of fresh air

Attendees had an opportunity to check out Ford’s walkable campus, which includes more than 12 acres of greenspace and walking paths, and see the building’s six interior courtyards, which add another 100,000 square feet of outdoor space for employee use.

Inside, they got to see the building’s many indoor amenities that foster collaboration and innovation, including the 160,000-square-foot Gallery Hall dining area which features seven food stations, markets and coffee bars.

Campus refresh

The new headquarters is just the latest in a global overhaul of Ford factories and workspaces that Farley referred to as a “sweeping modernization.” By the end of 2027, more than 90% of Ford’s office employees will be working in new or newly renovated spaces, each of which is designed with employee well-being at the forefront.

“We’re raising the bar everywhere,” Farley said, as pilots from the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum flew overhead to mark the building’s opening. “These improvements were long overdue. Our people at Ford deserve inspiring spaces to collaborate and cutting-edge tools to do the best work of their lives. This campus is a bold piece of that commitment.”

Gabrielle Poshadlo manages Ford employee experience communications