Edsel & Eleanor Ford House Visitor’s Center & Administration Building

“Welcoming connections” guided the lighting design of an iconic estate

Edsel and Eleanor Ford built an 87-acre estate situated on Lake St. Claire outside of Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Ford family loved to welcome guests to their home which is why opening the estate to the public was a natural transition after Eleanor’s death in 1976. This site invites guests to celebrate and learn about the past, present, and future of the Ford House, extending the Ford legacy for generations to come.
 

The project scope includes an administration building for Ford House operations, a visitor’s center filled with amenities, and sitework that provides beautiful views to nature and extends public gathering outdoors. The Ford House’s commitment to sustainability also provided a unique opportunity: targeting net-zero energy consumption for the administration building.
 

The concept of “welcoming connections” guided the lighting design solution to deliver an experience that is inviting, exudes hospitality, and provides stylistic connections between the historic homestead and its owners’ generous legacy. Lighting reinforces the architectural strategy to offer a contemporary complement to the Ford homestead’s Cotswold architectural style; because of their timeless design and ability to blend into any architectural environment, BEGA luminaires were the obvious solution. The design solutions balance the requirements for public space criteria yet reinforce a residential character reflective of the comforting qualities of a home.
 

The inviting character is primarily conveyed through use of warm color temperature lighting, wood and stone material accents, and lighting visual hierarchy that draws the eye to both the building interior and the exterior courtyard. The notion of connection is reinforced by accentuating the Cotswold architecture, enhancing gathering spaces, and integrating artful lighting detailing.
 

Approaching the site, subtle BEGA façade wall washers are juxtaposed with interior warmth, drawing guests into gathering spaces. This layer of vertical brightness targets 5:1 ratio from base to façade mid-point and 0 cd/m2 at façade top. The design paired with curfew controls limit uplight given adjacent wildlife habitats. Integrated site wall path lighting and concealed, visually comfortable trellis accent lighting pair with landscape highlights, creating a multi-layered outdoor special event visual experience. BEGA bollards with fully shielded light distribution line the pathways of the grounds.
 

Trellis highlights provide vertical stone brightness hierarchy for entrance wayfinding and overhead accent to café and social space outdoor seating. A key challenge to achieving the trellis lighting solution was concealing fixtures and power conduit. Indirect lighting hides within stone column enclosures, while fixtures tucked within trellis members provide column accent.
 

This project invites guests to celebrate and learn about the past, present, and future of the Ford House, extending the Ford legacy for generations to come.