you’re invited to the 100th anniversary celebration of the historic ford hangar

When industrial architect Albert Kahn put the finishing touches on the design for an airplane hangar contracted by Henry Ford in April 1926, he knew he had solved several challenges unique to airplane hangars with ground-breaking innovation. What he didn’t know was that a century later the Ford Hangar, built in Lansing, Illinois, would be listed on the National Registry of Historic Places and the only remaining hangar of its kind.

On Friday, September 18^th and Saturday, September 19^th, the Village of Lansing will celebrate the centennial of this dazzling architectural gem with a Gala and Expo & Aviation Showcase.

Lansing Mayor Brian Hardy says, “We invite everyone interested in architecture, history and aviation to join us in celebrating the Hangar. These events also begin our capital campaign, raising funds to restore, renovate and reactivate the Hangar as a vibrant, multi-use space with public art and museum. We will unveil a bold vision to the community, leaders and officials, highlighting Lansing and the Chicago Southland as a tourism destination and economic investment opportunity.”

John Cole, Archive Services Group with the Albert Kahn Legacy Foundation and retired mechanical engineer from Albert Kahn’s own architectural design firm, Albert Kahn Associates, notes, “If Kahn had lived for another 10 years, he would be as famous as Frank Lloyd Wright. He was next level, designing civic-minded buildings.”

Independent scholar and author of “Albert Kahn’s Daylight” Chris Meister says, “The Hangar is really a pioneering structure.” There are several features of the Hangar that make it unique, a masterpiece of design married with function.

Because flight was a new industry, airplane hangars were a new challenge for architects. Meister explained the unique challenges of designing and building a huge shelter to house large machines that could not be dissembled. “The building had to have an opening large enough to accommodate the wingspan of an airplane - specifically Henry Ford’s Tri-Motor planes - and could not have any supporting columns inside. Due to its function, the Hangar had to be one big, open space.”

To create an opening large enough to fit 75-foot wings, Kahn used a series of doors, each weighing more than a ton, which slid easily on curving tracks to “stack” against the walls. The 20’ wide by 20’ high doors slid so easily in fact that one person could push the doors open and closed with minimal effort. “The fact that they still work today is just so remarkable. It’s another thing that makes the building so special.”

Kahn implemented cantilevering to eliminate the use of supporting columns inside the 13,000 sq. ft. building. The enormous steel A-frames inside the east and west walls of the building, along with the massive center structure above, are what actually hold up the Hangar. “The walls don’t hold up anything but themselves,” says Meister.

Meister highlights the Hangar’s passenger waiting room, one of the first of its kind in the nation, created in anticipation of air travel becoming more popular as World War I wound down – and to catch up with Europe’s growing travel market.

Formally, industrial buildings were dark and “dungeon-like” with little to no natural light. Kahn revolutionized that throughout all his work. In the Hangar in particular, over 1,500 panes of glass create a golden glow at sunrise, with sunlight filling every corner of the interior throughout the day.

Hardy says, “This magnificent Hangar is the only Albert Kahn-designed building of this type that remains standing. It’s a critical link to aviation history and a marvel of engineering and innovation.”

Friday’s Gala tickets are $150 per person; tables of ten are $2,000 and include recognition at the event and on www.fordhangar100.org. The event begins at 5:30 pm. The Hangar’s history will be showcased by architects, historians and local leaders. Plans for the renovation and restoration will be debuted that evening.

Saturday’s Expo & Aviation Showcase  is free. Doors to the Hangar open at 11:00 am. Open House visitors will enjoy parachute teams, vintage automobiles, aviation activities for kids and adults, live portrayals of Charles Lindbergh, and a Ford Tri-Motor and other planes on display. There will be a professionally narrated Historic Places Tour leaving the Hangar at 8:00 am on Saturday in a climate-controlled, comfortable motorcoach. Flight experiences are available all weekend.

For more information, details and reservations, visit fordhangar100.org.

Hardy noted, “The restored Hangar will be a powerful catalyst for economic development across the region, supporting local business and positioning the Chicago Southland as a premier destination.”

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