In January of 2020, a confidential American multinational automotive manufacturing company announced a plan for a new project, slated to be the company’s first fully dedicated electric vehicle assembly plant. This plant represents a forward thinking vision for an all-electric future that will soon become reality. This historic plant holds a long legacy of dedication and hard work within its walls. With that inspiration, this project aims to honor the past, present, and future of this location to enhance the brand identity and experience through the facility's main arrival sequence and forward-positioned common spaces.

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​The exterior plaza design crafts an arrival experience for both employees and visitors, influenced by extending the strong entry drive axis into the space. This sets up a framework for multiple amenities and places to support various modalities. Innovative site solutions including an expressed water harvesting and bioretention infrastructure enhance ecological systems and long-term performance while reinforcing the ideas of sustainability and a zero future. The design provides outdoor amenities for employees through landscaping, integrated seating, shade structures, charging stations, and food truck parking that help create a holistic outdoor environment fostering employee interaction and wellness.

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​Upon arrival at the front door, an illuminated branding soffit above leads inside. Entry into the lobby reveals a logo wall hosting the company’s insignia to announce arrival into the plant. The interior architecture inspires a sense of connection and flow in this entry sequence. An architectural element dubbed “the ribbon,” reinforces the conceptual idea of inclusion as it weaves its way through the lobby to visually and physically connect employees to their new Commons. This Commons, the re-purposed and renovated executive garage, is saturated with opportunities for interaction and varied work modalities for employees. The cells within the space are outfitted with varied seating arrangements, vending, a kitchenette, and mental jogs (gaming tables to provide a creative thinking reboot) that accommodate modes of focus, collaboration, socialization, rejuvenation, and learning. Large aluminum and glass overhead doors in the Commons provide ample daylight and encourage outdoor amenity use as an extension of these interior spaces.

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The design concept establishes a sense of place for employees and provides common, shared amenities to help inspire pride, productivity, and a collaborative work environment. This design proposal provides the client and all of the employees with indoor and outdoor space as innovative and powerful as the vehicles produced there.

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As design lead, I was solely responsible for composing presentations for client leadership meetings and funding approvals. I communicated designs to the client both orally and graphically on a regular basis. I prepared written communications to iterate design concepts, project documentation, and alternate designs for pricing comparisons. I implemented space planning strategies to improve user experiences and created branding identities through architectural expressions of the space.

​Throughout this project, and many other projects for this client, I have established procedures and protocols for project workflows to ensure consistency in SmithGroup deliverables. I pride myself on being an expert on this particular workspace environment and the client expectations associated with their many campus renovation projects. I have fostered and maintained effective and productive relationships with the client during my career at SmithGroup.