A Cohesive Plaza Destination

The Ford Experience Center (FXC) a été l'un des premiers lieux à subir une rénovation importante de la transformation de la compagnie Ford Motor pour son imposant campus corporatif à Dearborn, Michigan. Under the guidance of landscape architecture firm Zaremba & Company and in collaboration with the Ford Master Planning Team and Ghafari Associates, the project introduced a fresh design language of welcoming, multi-functional outdoor spaces surrounded by restored native oak savanna habitat.

Une attention toute particulière a été donnée à l'incorporation d'éléments de conception uniques et sculpturaux susceptibles de créer l'émerveillement chez les visiteurs et de créer une atmosphère agréable pour les personnes travaillant sur le campus. La liaison fonctionnelle et esthétique entre les espaces extérieurs et l'intérieur du bâtiment a également fait l'objet d'une mûre réflexion. Patio spaces spill out naturally from the building, each with a specific purpose. For example, an event patio is tied to interior event space and a café patio extends the interior dining space. Conformément à l'expertise de Ford en termes de mobilité, l'aménagement paysager souligne également le fait d'arriver sur le site via différents moyens de locomotion : à pied, à vélo, en voiture, en bus, etc.

"The idea behind the hardscape was to make it feel like one cohesive plaza destination. For the bus and car drop-off areas, we opted for flat drive aisles instead of having defined curb edges to create a feeling of seamless flow in and out of the building," says Zaremba & Company Design Principal Shannon Mohr.

Adoption de concepts complexes

The borderless flow between pedestrian and vehicle areas did, however, come with design challenges. Studio 431, Landscape Forms’ custom division, was tasked with creating the bespoke precast landscape walls that would provide privacy for the patios, create interesting earth forms, allow for significant contouring in the site’s topography, and clearly distinguish pedestrian and vehicle spaces without disrupting the smooth and continuous design intent.

"I was aware of Studio 431’s capabilities and their project history,” says Mohr. “When drafting these dynamic concrete forms, we knew that a high amount of control would be required, and we immediately reached out to the Studio 431 team.

"I was so pleased that the Studio 431 team was excited to help us right away," says Mohr. "They took our SketchUp models, had their engineers look over them, and gave us some preliminary budget numbers which were helpful in getting quick approval from Ford and the project team. The timing of how it all worked was, to me, a highlight of the success of the project. Studio 431 is the perfect bridge between design and construction teams."

Attentes élevées, résultats supérieurs

"When Shannon first presented this project to us, it was clear that one of the main intents for this landscape was to be a showcase," says Kyle Verseman, ASLA, Landscape Forms Business Development Representative for Southeastern and Northern Michigan. « S'agissant d'un lieu où l'on peut organiser des événements, accueillir des personnes importantes et recevoir la presse et les médias, nous savions d'emblée que l'atmosphère extérieure se devait d'être unique, basée sur l'expérience et multifonctionnelle. »

En fait, l'aspect multifonctionnel était un principe fondamental du schéma directeur du nouveau campus de Ford. Partnering with Ed's Concrete from Ontario, Canada, to produce the precast concrete, Studio 431's focus on creating retaining walls that seamlessly transitioned into benches, wayfinding devices with integrated lighting, and purposeful sculptural elements was a key measure in meeting the company's specific expectations.

Creating a cohesive plaza destination presented a unique design challenge given the site’s location. Directly across the street from the modern, future-facing FXC is Greenfield Village, a sprawling open-air museum whose traditional ambiance offers an immersive look into the company’s rich history. To quite literally bridge Ford’s future with its past, the company chose Ashbery area lights to illuminate the roadway between the two campus destinations. Designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, Ashbery offers an authentic homage to the traditional streetlight with refined designed details and performance that was the perfect choice to celebrate the company’s history and future. To soften the transition and make the lights a bit more modern, the Ford Master Planning Team chose to omit Ashbery's central aesthetic element that alludes to a gas lamp’s flame, which created a more modern, refined silhouette.

Rounding out the Landscape Forms site elements, Bola bike racks, Parallel 42 benches, and Kornegay Design’s Quartz Series planters play important supporting roles in complementing landscape architecture, welcoming visitors, and creating an inviting pedestrian atmosphere.