Deere & Company World Headquarters
Moline
Situated on 1,400 acres of land and spanning a man-made ravine, the Deere & Company World Headquarters in Moline was designed by architect Eero Saarinen and is an icon of the Modern movement. Completed in 1964, the original seven-story office complex is the first architectural design to use Cor-Ten steel as a primary building material. (Over time, Cor-Ten develops a patina of iron oxide that protects the steel members.) The surrounding landscape, designed by Hideo Sasaki & Associates, includes artwork by abstract sculptor Henry Moore. The sleek, contemporary campus quickly became a model for office complexes during the latter half of the 20th century. In 1978, the company expanded, adding a 200,000-square-foot addition by Saarinen’s successor firm, Kevin Roche, John Dinkeloo & Associates. The complex has won numerous design awards and is included on the American Institute of Architects’ list of “150 Great Places in Illinois.” For 45 years, Deere & Company has maintained this groundbreaking headquarters building through continuous care and meticulous attention to detail.