After 70 years, Ford Motor Company is abandoning its Iconic Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. The building, also known as the “Glass House,” has been home to Ford since 1956. A new campus, designed for a technology-driven future, has been built, and it will soon become the new headquarters.
Besides Ford, General Motors is also preparing to relocate to a new HQ .
Ford Leaves the Glass House After 70 Years
For decades, Ford’s headquarters at 1 American Road has been a symbol of American industry. The headquarters was nicknamed the Glass House due to its massive glass façade. The 12-story building was opened in 1956 and was the largest office building fully occupied by a single company at that time. The headquarters featured an arboretum and was fitted with early solar panels. It was also massive, with a capacity to accommodate 2,000 employees.
However, by 2025, Ford’s executives concluded that the building could no longer meet the demands of a modern automaker. Among the executives were CEO Jim Farley and Executive Chairman Bill Ford, who felt that the future demands a different kind of space that is more flexible, enhanced connection, and customized for the speed of a technology and software-driven company.
Ford will continue using the Glass House until mid-2026. After that, it will move staff to the new headquarters and decommission and demolish the historic building over a period of 18 months. Ford is liaising with the city of Dearborn to rehabilitate the site for other uses, such as parks and open spaces.
The Henry Ford II World Center
The Henry Ford II World Center is the name of the new HQ, which sits just three miles from the Glass House. The site was formerly occupied by the company’s former Product Development Center. The $2.1 million-square-foot facility will open in November 2025. The Henry Ford II World Center is just part of a larger campus project whose surrounding environments, upgrades, and other facilities are still under construction and projected to be finalized in 2027.
The new HQ is designed in a manner that encourages collaboration and innovation. It is double the size of the Glass House and will house 4,000 employees. There will also be a Ford Research and Engineering Campus with 14,000 employees, just a 15-minute walk away from the HQ.
In this new site, there will be:
- Six advanced design studios
- 303 tech-enabled meeting rooms
- A 160,000-square-foot food hall open to all Ford staff
- Wellness and mothers’ rooms
- A massive showroom with 10 rotating platforms and a 64-foot LED wall for full-scale vehicle reviews.
The building will also be conducive to driving because of its vertically stacked layout. This will make it easier for teams to conduct presentations and live testing.
A Push for Sustainability
Ford’s relocation represents a broader push towards sustainability. The new HQ will have a modern central energy plant that will enable Ford to achieve net-zero energy use. It will also have waste-reduction strategies and water-saving technology. Due to this technology, the new headquarters will consume only half the energy consumed at the Glass House, despite being twice as big.
The design of the new HQ is a product of a two-year study that aims to reduce inefficiencies across Ford’s operations. According to company officials, material movement will be cut by about 80%. This will speed up the speed of production.
A Legacy and a New Era
The relocation marks the end of a historic chapter for Ford. The Glass House was a symbol of the Ford family’s legacy. “Dearborn and Ford are almost synonymous. If you think of Dearborn, you think of Ford, and if you think of Ford, you think of Dearborn,” says Ted Ryan, Ford’s heritage and brand manager.
GM Is on the Move Too
Besides Ford, General Motors (GM) is also preparing to relocate to a new headquarter. GM will be leaving the Renaissance Center in Detroit, which has been its home since 1996, to move to a new downtown office.
GM’s relocation indicates a shift from towering symbols of corporate power to modern, flexible, and sustainable campuses that enhance collaboration and innovation.
The Bigger Picture Behind Ford’s Headquarters Shake-Up
Ford’s relocation is not only a change of address but also an illustration of how America’s auto giants are adapting to new realities such as software integration, electric vehicles, and global competition. The move from a 70-year-old landmark to a futuristic campus shows that companies must be willing to continuously reinvent themselves to remain relevant and competitive.
“We are not just building the next generation of vehicles; we are building the next generation of Ford,” said Bill.