Summary

The new headquarters for Mitsubishi Motors North America involved the relocation to Nashville, TN, and a cultural shift to a more open workplace culture underlined by a bold, dynamic design. The experience begins with the first impression—an unstaffed reception with digital kiosk opening to a feature stair and social area. A garden under the stair incorporates a traditional dry-sand Zen garden referencing Mitsubishi’s Japanese heritage.

Inspired by Mitsubishi dealerships and cars, accents of brand colors red and black allude to motion and the experience of city driving; a green wall integrated at the stair suggests a drive in the country. At the core of the workspace, circular light fixtures suspended from the ceiling reference the mobility of cars. Lighting throughout suggests dynamic movement.

Employee work areas are neighborhoods flooded with natural light, offering custom workstations that balance privacy and openness. At the corridor, plants at the end of each workstation, a biophilic element, enhance lockers and shared storage. Pavilions of wood identify open collaboration areas, encouraging impromptu conversations; conference rooms accommodate presentations and more formal collaboration. Spaces include an employee break area, quiet rooms, a boardroom, and private offices.

For ease of egress across the floorplan, several alleys, clad in patterns and textures evoking the concrete, brick, and graffiti street art of Nashville alleys, create shortcuts to a variety of focus and collaboration spaces. Signage for navigation playfully references each of the city’s iconic neighborhoods. These moments of discovery vivify the design concept: the fun of exploration through driving.