A Home for the Ages
William Van Tine was the architect of record for the design and construction of Clara and Henry Ford's 15th and final residence, Fair Lane. Earlier designs were completed by Von Holst and Fyfe of Chicago, IL and their representative, Marion Mahoney, who laid the foundation of the Main Residence. The home is 31,770 square feet, not including the Powerhouse, and has 56 rooms. Although originally 1,242 acres, the estate today retains 17 acres of gardens and grounds designed by landscape architect, Jen Jensen.
When completed in 1916, the home featured modern amenities and some of the greatest technological advancements of its time. Structurally, the home was built to last generations. Even so, years of use and the forces of nature have taken their toll.
The Power of Water
Although water played an important role in the original siting of the estate, it has become the estate's worst enemy. Many of the current issues that must be addressed to preserve the buildings and their interiors for future generations have been caused by water infiltration. Original water drainage lines have been inspected for integrity, cleaned and when necessary replaced to ensure proper performance.
The roof of the Main Residence was replaced in the 1990s but the integrity of the flatroofs were compromised. A challenge facing the project was the lack of historic documentation showing original tiling. Through historic photographs and consultation with historic tiling experts, a new roofing system with monitoring equipment is being installed.
Restoration in Action
In 2014 Quinn Evans Architects, SmithGroupJJR and Henry Ford Estate staff conducted research and developed plans to restore aspects of the Main Residence that would improve the visitor experience and provide protection from water damage. Major components include:
- Installation of new underground storm water lines
- Replacement of missing or damaged copper gutters and downspouts
- Reconstruction of three tile flat roofs and Kitchen Service Courtyard
- Reconstruction of failed stone walls at the Music Room Terrace and various window wells
- Reconstruction of metal safety railing at multiple locations
Work started in early 2015 and is scheduled to be concluded by the end of 2015.
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