Alfred Taubman

Air Date
July 5, 2010

Become acquainted with "third dimensional thinking", Alfred Taubman's perspective on the way inventive people look at things with an eye to making them better. Explore the relationship between design and taste, and then join Taubman in a considered look at the rise of the mall, the multifaceted nature of retailing, and the power of threshold resistance as a window for gaining insight into the shopping experience.

01

About the Innovator

Alfred Taubman Interview Transcript
Shopping Mall Pioneer

Trained as an architect but describing himself as a retailer, Alfred Taubman brought formidable attention to detail to every facet of the customer experience to demonstrate the shopping mall's potential as a successful retail model. He then went on to build one of the most successful collections of malls in the nation.

Why He Innovates

Committed to removing barriers between the customer and the merchandise to create the best possible shopping experience, Taubman conceived of a comprehensive philosophy that he named threshold resistance. He applied this thinking to every facet of the retail environment from parking, lighting and floor treatments to store location, amenities and more. In more recent years, he applied this philosophy more broadly to a range of philanthropic interests, helping to eliminate barriers to education, economic development and scientific research in a number of fields.

“

Alfred Taubman

I think inventive people have third dimensional thought. How can that object change and be better, not just different.

Keywords
Themes
02

Related Videos

54:10
An image of someone using the THF Connect app in front of the Hamburgers sign.
video

Experience Design in a Socially Distant World

Join Josh Goldblum, CEO and founder of the experience design agency Bluecadet for the first session in our new virtual talk series, THF Conversations. Hosted by The Henry Ford’s curator of communication and information technology, Kristen Gallerneaux via Zoom, attendees have the chance to ask their own questions during the session. THF Conversations is part of The Henry Ford’s #WeAreInnovationNation learning series. Held on Zoom, each session will feature leaders in their field as they discuss the topic and challenges facing us today.
THF Conversations
1:04:11
Image of A.L. Riker.
video

100 Years of EV Engineering & the Future of Electrification

On Wednesday, June 10th at 3 pm ET, join Co-Founder of Detroit Mobility Lab, Chairwoman of Michigan Mobility Institute and current Entrepreneur-in-Residence Jessica Robinson, Executive Vice Chair of Programs for SAE Detroit Section and President of DG Technologies Mark Zachos and The Henry Ford’s Curator of Transportation Matt Anderson as they explore the history of electric vehicles and the future of electrification during THF Conversations. This informative discussion with industry leaders, provides attendees with the chance to ask their own questions during the session. Interested in attending? Register today!
THF Conversations
55:40
Image of a panelist discussing manufacturing.
video

Manufacturing: Past Forward

This is a special #THFConversations to celebrate Manufacturing Day #MFGDay. As manufacturers seek to fill 4.6 million high-skill, high-tech and high-paying jobs over the next decade, MFG Day empowers manufacturers to come together to address their collective challenges so they can help their communities and future generations thrive.
THF Conversations
59:15
Autonomous Vehicles: Solving Problems & Driving Change
video

Autonomous Vehicles - Solving Problems and Driving Changes

Join us for THF Conversation in honor of National Engineers Week, presented by Michigan Department of Transportation, with mobility experts from Arrow Electronics and Kettering University as they discuss the future and social impact of autonomous vehicles!
THF Conversations
58:47
Tiffany at The Henry Ford
video

Tiffany at The Henry Ford: The Exhibition, The Man and our Collection

Join Curator of Decorative Arts Charles Sable for a preview of the exhibition, Louis Comfort Tiffany: Treasures from The Driehaus Collection, highlighting some must-see pieces. Mr. Sable will also provide insight into Tiffany’s life and influences, and share behind-the-scenes stories about Tiffany treasures in The Henry Ford’s collection.
THF Conversations
59:16
The opening of the Driven to Win: Racing in America exhibition entrance.
video

Driven to Win: Sneak Peek

As we prepare to open our major new exhibit, Driven to Win: Racing in America, join us for a preview of the Sports Car Performance Center. Explore the story of the Ford GT from inception to success at the 2016 Le Mans 24-hour race, and learn how engineers optimized the car through aerodynamic design, high-tech materials, and careful data analysis.
THF Conversations
1:05:40
The Torch Lake is setting at Smiths Creek Station picking up passengers on its first day of operation July 3, 1971.
video

There’s Only One Greenfield Village

Curator Donna Braden has spent decades researching and interpreting buildings in Greenfield Village, but it was only when she authored 'The Henry Ford's Official Guidebook' that she truly realized how unique it is. In this partly serious, partly humorous virtual program, she reveals her top 10 favorite stories, little-known facts and interconnections from the village.
THF Conversations
1:04:45
A colleague working through the Eagle Tavern Experience.
video

Creating the Eagle Tavern Food Experience

Mock turtle soup? Macaroni straws? How did these items land on menus at Eagle Tavern in Greenfield Village? Senior Curator and Curator of Public Life Donna Braden was instrumental in developing the original 1850s dining experience at the tavern nearly 40 years ago. Join us for a virtual program to hear her stories from those early days, including the original ideas and the steps that brought the tavern to life.
THF Conversations
57:58
Image of the Jim Henson Exhibition.
video

Imagining The Jim Henson Exhibit

Join curator Donna Braden and our guest, curator Barbara Miller from Museum of the Moving Image, for a virtual trip behind-the-scenes of The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited. In this relaxed interview, Donna will query Barbara about her perspective on creating the exhibit and how it provides insight into the life and career of the legendary creator.
THF Conversations
57:58
Image from the Le Mans used in the THF Conversations.
video

Winning at Le Mans: Exploring Ford's Return to the Le Mans with the 2016 GT

As we continue to celebrate the opening of Driven to Win: Racing in America, presented by General Motors, join curator Matt Anderson for an exciting conversation honoring the 2016 Ford GT’s return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans Winner’s Circle, 50 years to the date of Ford’s 1966 victory. Accompanying Matt will be three people who had a direct hand in its success, Ford Performance’s Mark Rushbrook, Multimatic Inc.’s Raj Nair and the driver who took it on its final lap across the finish line, Joey Hand. During this THF Conversation, the panel will explore what it took to return once again to victory and why the 2016 Ford GT has earned its own place in American auto racing history.
THF Conversations
50:02
An image of children following along Big Bird.
video

An Innovative Approach on Inclusion & Diversity Education

In collaboration with The Henry Ford and inHub, this webinar will be an inspiring and informative conversation on effective and innovative ways to discuss race, identity and being an "upstander" with your youngest learners. Enjoy this exciting conversation with industry leaders from Sesame Workshop, Akimi Gibson, Vice President & Education Publisher, Sesame Learning, and Dr. Rosemarie T. Truglio, Senior Vice President, Curriculum and Content.
THF Conversations
1:01:26
Detroit Central Market
video

A Market Shed in Its 160th Year

The vegetable building from Detroit’s Central Market holds over a century of stories – from the vendors and shoppers who brought it bustling to life in the 19th century, to the curators, preservationists and experts reconstructing it in Greenfield Village today. In this exclusive panel program, we’ll peek behind the scenes of the construction project and reveal plans for the 2022 opening.
THF Conversations
1:01:26
Detail of a diamond print quilt with floral border
video

Quilt Collection at The Henry Ford

For nearly three centuries, American women have made quilts to fill their family’s need for warm bedcovers, to express their creativity or to communicate a message. The quilts displayed in Greenfield Village are only the tip of our museum’s quilt iceberg. Join curator Jeanine Miller in a virtual stroll through textile storage to enjoy a look at quilts with stories to tell, artistry to share or a message to communicate. Savor a behind-the-scenes look at longtime favorites, as well as recently acquired quilts, and find out how they came into our collections.
THF Conversations
59:40
The hood open on a Ford truck being assembled
video

Manufacturing Day

Join us for a preview of our upcoming temporary exhibit Collecting Mobility: New Objects, New Stories. Get a first look at some of the vehicles, artifacts and images acquired by The Henry Ford in recent years, and learn about the decision process behind each new addition to our collection.
THF Conversations
1:01:44
collecting_mobility
video

Collecting Mobility: Sneak Peek

Join us for a preview of our upcoming temporary exhibit Collecting Mobility: New Objects, New Stories. Get a first look at some of the vehicles, artifacts and images acquired by The Henry Ford in recent years, and learn about the decision process behind each new addition to our collection.
THF Conversations
57:35
allthis_cover
video

How Did All This Stuff Get Here? The Henry Ford Era

Nearly a century ago, Henry Ford — with the help of his agents and hundreds of everyday people — set about gathering objects that represented almost every aspect of everyday American life. Join curator Jeanine Head Miller for this look at the collecting adventure that launched the unparalleled collection that has become The Henry Ford.
THF Conversations
48:36
Deb Reid presenting about cows on Firestone Farm and statue artifacts
video

Animal Histories and The Henry Ford

Curator of Agriculture and the Environment Deb Reid discusses the emerging and thriving field of animal histories. Learn the many ways that animals appear in The Henry Ford’s historical resources and where members and guests can learn more about animals while visiting Greenfield Village. Through our archival and artifact collections, this program uncovers the history of draft animals and farm stock, including milk cattle and sheep, pigs, chickens and even farm pets.
54:13
video

Exceptional Engines

Take a fascinating look at the machines that move us with Curator of Transportation Matt Anderson. Explore some of the more unusual automobile engines in The Henry Ford’s collection, like Franklin’s air-cooled crosshead of 1905 or Chrysler’s experimental gas turbine of 1963. The heart of any car is its engine, and through the evolution of engine design and technology, we discover the importance of how innovation and diversity shape the automotive landscape.
54:41
THF200604 / Detroit Central Market, circa 1888
video

Businesswomen at Detroit Central Market

In honor of the Detroit Central Market joining Greenfield Village as our first permanent addition to the village since 2000, this program focuses on female hucksters and market gardeners who made an impression. Together with Deb Reid, curator of Agriculture and the Environment at The Henry Ford, we learn about causes of food fights like the Cucumber War of 1861, strategies that bound market families together, conflicts that pulled them apart, and philanthropy that extended their reach.
Engaging Experts
57:59
Worker Safety Rally at Lincoln Motor Company Plant, Detroit, Michigan, 1924. / THF261634
video

The Fords’ Vision for Lincoln Motor Company

In anticipation of Old Car Festival Powered by Hagerty, this program focuses on Ford Motor Company’s purchase of Lincoln Motor Company in 1922 and hones in on Edsel Ford’s simple but highly personal vision for the luxury automaker: to make “the best car in the world.” With Matt Anderson, curator of transportation at The Henry Ford, we’ll explore materials in our archival collection looking at Lincoln Motor Company’s first decades.