Ford Piquette Museum

Detroit, MI

Specifier: Steve Shotwell, Consultant; Design: Jeff Burke, Kirlin

KIRLIN was challenged with creating a replica of the original “Secret Room” globe lighting in the Ford Motor Company Piquette Plant.  Our team desired to honor Henry Ford’s passion for innovation by creating an energy efficient LED iteration which appears virtually identical to the carbon-arc original. The result is a COB-based LED array shielded by a frosted enclosure within a clear globe.  A digitally printed, custom contoured , decorative black shell, true to the original proportions, conceal the functional module: LED array/heat sink/driver. 

The “Secret Room” was a sequestered space on the third floor of the plant, where, behind locked door, the Model T was conceived, designed and prototyped.  Even back in 1900, theft of Intellectual Property was rampant and Henry Ford  judiciously protected his in the “Secret Room”. 

“A very special thanks to the entire Kirlin team for your time, interest and professional commitment to make this happen!” wrote Steve Shotwell of the Model T Museum, Ford Piquette Plant.