When Henry Joy brought Packard to Detroit, by hiring Albert Kahn he
also ended up ushering in a new era in industrial architecture,
especially for the automotive sector. Factories of this time were often
downright dangerous, with poor lighting and ventilation and only the
most rudimentary sanitary facilities. Most commonly made of wood, these
structures were literal death traps, with many disastrous and deadly
fires over the years.
By using reinforced concrete, Albert Kahn changed all of this. The
Packard name became synonymous with innovation yet again, as virtually
all of the major auto companies followed Packard's lead in their own
subsequent construction, usually hiring Kahn. This dynamic new material
also allowed ease of expansion not only horizontally but vertically as
well, without disturbing existing buildings.
Read the Whole Article
| 
