Ford Building, Museum building in Balboa Park, United States.
The Ford Building is a Streamline Moderne structure in Balboa Park, San Diego, designed by Walter Dorwin Teague to resemble a V8 engine. Its plan consists of two circles of different sizes forming an '8', with a courtyard fountain shaped like the Ford V8 logo. The 45,000-square-foot building has a 296-foot diameter and a height of 90 feet.
The building was constructed in 1935 for the California Pacific International Exposition and financed by Ford Motor Company. It served as the company's effort to showcase its automotive innovations at a major world's fair.
A mural along the interior wall of the outer ring traces transportation from hunter-gatherer times to 1935. Its final panel was left open so the artist could paint his vision of transport after 1935, and that panel is still visible today. The museum rents the Ford-themed courtyard for weddings, balls and parties.
The San Diego Air & Space Museum operates from this building and displays exhibits about aviation and space exploration year-round. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes, as there is plenty of ground to cover while viewing the exhibits.
The building's floor plan was designed by Walter Dorwin Teague to represent a V8 engine. The central courtyard features a fountain whose shape recalls the Ford V8 logo.
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