Henry Ford Building

The Henry Ford Building is a university facility in Dahlem featuring clean lines, open spaces, and functional rooms designed without unnecessary decoration. The structure houses lecture halls, library sections, and study areas that continue to serve students today.

Franz-Heinrich Sobotka and Gustav Müller designed the structure in 1954 during Berlin's post-war rebuilding period. It was created when many new educational buildings with modern design were rising to support the city's academic growth.

The building is named after American industrialist Henry Ford, reflecting post-war admiration for American efficiency and rational design principles. Its straightforward aesthetic still draws attention today because it shows how people of that era thought educational spaces should look.

Access is straightforward since the building sits within an established campus, and most areas welcome visitors. Plan time to explore different levels and rooms, especially if you want to visit the library sections.

The building's name honors an American automobile industrialist, which was striking in 1950s Germany and showed admiration for American business methods. This naming choice is often overlooked and reveals much about the cultural connections of that era.

Location: Steglitz-Zehlendorf

Architects: Franz-Heinrich Sobotka, Gustav Müller

Architectural style: New Objectivity

GPS coordinates: 52.44786,13.27858

Latest update: December 12, 2025 07:59