Ford Dearborn Truck Assembly Plant, Michigan (2004)
William McDonough & Partners
The sedum-planted roof of Ford's truck assembly factory at River Rouge has become the primary symbol of the greening of Corporate America. Conceived as part of a broader re-imagining of Ford's historic—and legendarily polluted—River Rouge complex, the 10.5-acre green roof, installed in 2003, is one of the world's largest. The plantings work as a sponge (reducing storm water runoff) and as insulation (protecting the building in both hot and cold weather). But more than that, its location near the visitor's center makes the nine varieties of plants—and the birds and wildlife they attract—a powerful communication tool for Ford's story of environmental reclamation.
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