Japanese automaker Subaru is known internally for its own signature workflow. Dubbed the “Subaru-style work method,” the creative philosophy promotes work with physical objects as a central point for discussion and collaboration. As workloads in recent years increased companywide, more siloed workflows began to emerge. To remedy these disparities architecture firm Nikken Sekkei developed a new innovation hub in Ōta City in Japan’s Gunma Prefecture. A total of 2,800 technical employees are consolidated into “a building which houses the automotive planning, design, and engineering departments, to enable planners, designers, and engineers to interact freely under one roof without barriers,” says Nikken Sekkei architect Daisuke Minehiro.
Comprising a reinforced concrete and steel frame construction, the Subaru Innovation Hub spans seven floors and a penthouse. Wooden louvers at the entrance express the dynamic spirit of aircraft wings alongside past vehicle displays to reflect Subaru’s longstanding commitment to craftsmanship. Carpet and vinyl flooring are also adorned with patterns and colorways inspired by environments from cities to parks and mountains “to enable planners, designers and engineers to experience the end-user’s perspective within their immediate surroundings,” Minehiro adds. Serving as the nucleus of the project is a sprawling “single-room” space connecting four mega floors—each spanning more than 75,000 square feet—to encourage cross-department communication. For high visibility and intuitive access, three atriums are also featured in the layout to facilitate idea generation and discussion as employees engage with objects.
Lower levels host manufacturing facilities and co-creation space for internal and external partners, along with indoor and outdoor vehicle verification areas. Design studios are equipped for full-scale mock-ups and shape studies, with design offices accessed directly overhead via an atrium and dual staircases. Desk area is also consolidated to open offices to the central atrium, which serves as a showcase for prototypes and vehicles beside a test course and workshop adjacently located. High-traffic areas like cafeterias, meeting rooms, project rooms, and gyms are concentrated across the third floor and linked via a promenade-style space as well. “We hope that, within a space where planners, designers and engineers come together as one,” Minehiro says, “a sense of unity in working towards a single goal—the development of new cars—will be fostered.”
