Case Study: Ford Foundation achieves historic landmark renewal and expanded social justice space with Thornton Tomasetti

Ford Foundation renovates 280,000 ft² landmark with Thornton Tomasetti

The Ford Foundation faced the challenge of renovating and repositioning its iconic 1967 New York City landmark building to reflect its modern mission of promoting social justice while preserving its unique architectural legacy. Thornton Tomasetti was brought in to collaborate with Gensler, providing multidisciplinary expertise in building envelope, structural design, façade restoration, and historic preservation for this complex project.

Thornton Tomasetti implemented a solution focused on minimal intervention, specifying treatments for the historic granite and Cor-Ten steel cladding, restoring the copper skylight, and designing a new waterproofing system. Their structural work included infrastructure upgrades and the incorporation of new features, including rigging for approximately 40 new trees in the atrium. The successful renovation, which reopened in 2018, resulted in a space that exemplifies openness, accessibility, and sustainability, earning multiple prestigious awards for design and preservation. Thornton Tomasetti's work allowed the Ford Foundation to expand its facilities and fully express the principles of its Center for Social Justice.

Ford Foundation